One Thing Leads To Another
by Tia-Lewise
Summary: Vincent takes Yuffie in when she is disowned by her father. However, an accidental kiss and severe worry is all that is needed for unexpected feelings to bloom!
1. Chapter 1

_Hi guys, Refi here! Just letting you know, I don't like to keep people hanging, so I always complete a fanfic before submitting it, so there are no missing chapters or anything. That way, you're not disappointed, see? I've called it 'One Thing Leads To Another'. It just came to me while I was at school, so it's probably a crappy name._

_Oh yeah, I had a lemon part in this fic, but I have had to remove it 'cos I found out don't like that sort of thing. I was disappointed, I spent a fair amount of time on it, but it's for the best, I guess...I miiight put an uncensored version on my LiveJournal at some point though._

_I'm a beta-reader now, so look out for me if your fics need a going-over! _

_Please review and rate, and enjoy_ _reading_ _'One Thing Leads To Another'!

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Chapter one-Discovery of the Ninja

Rain lashed at Nibelheim in the worst storm the town had seen in years. The rolling spurts of rain clattered noisily over the rooftops and ran in rivulets down, creating large puddles on the ground; accompanied by its friend the howling wind, rattling at the windows. A distant boom of thunder broke the noise of the constant splashing, followed soon by a blazing crack of lightning. The storm seemed determined to rouse the sleeping inhabitants of Nibelheim, yet it only succeeded in waking one. At the end of town, sleeping in the old mansion, Vincent Valentine stirred...

Vincent blinked sleepily, listening to the sounds of the storm, stretching his cramped arms from where he had dozed off on the sofa. Shaking his tousled black hair from his eyes, Vincent stretched a final time, before getting to his feet and wandering to the kitchen. Casting his eyes to the clock on the wall, he saw that it was two thirty-five in the morning. "Damn," he muttered, yawning widely. "Why now?" He stumped, rather grumpily, to the living room and sat on the window sill, shaking his hair from his face.

However, a movement outside a few minutes later caught his eye. _"That wasn't rain..." _ Vincent thought, moving closer to the window, his breath misting the glass. Irritated, he wiped the mist away and peered outside. There was someone out there, in the middle of the storm at two forty in the morning. _"Probably a traveler,"_ Vincent thought.

The young girl outside was drenched, her hair plastered to her head, and she was only dressed in shorts and a sleeveless shirt. She swayed where she stood for a moment before collapsing limply to the floor, not moving.

Still watching from inside, Vincent started. "Better help..." he said to himself, walking to the door, picking up his cloak from the handle and fastening it. Opening the door, the force of the wind nearly blew him backwards, but, bowing his head, hair whipping round his face, he ran down the path to see who it was who had collapsed. He vaulted over the iron gate at the bottom of the path and reached the girl lying unconscious near the well. Vincent knelt down beside her and turned her head so as to see her face, eyebrows contracting when he recognised her.

"Yuffie? What is she doing so far from Wutai?" he said to himself. Wasting no more time, Vincent slid an arm under her shoulders, the other under her legs, and picked her up as easily as if she were a rag-doll. Keeping a firm hold of Yuffie's frail figure, he carried her back to the mansion, out of reach of the raging storm still pouring relentlessly.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two-Rest

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Once inside, Vincent kicked the door shut behind him, muffling the outside torrent. Gently, he slipped the still unconscious Yuffie onto the sofa, before examining her. Her soaked skin was icy cold; she had obviously been travelling in the rain for days. She had dark circles under her closed eyes, and her clothes were dirty and torn. Vincent's crimson eyes travelled over her face, and something caught his eye, something he had not noticed outside. Yuffie had suffered what looked like a whip; her cheek suffered numerous red and white raised lashes, and the skin between was heavily bruised. Scowling, Vincent turned Yuffie onto her front and, hesitating slightly, lifted the back of her shirt up. Her back was mottled with whip lashes, and in some places her skin was broken; dried, cracked blood lacing her back. He turned her onto her side and brushed his fingers against the disfiguring marks on her cheek. At his touch, Yuffie moaned softly.

"Yuffie?" Vincent moved closer to her. "Yuffie?"

"Ohh...what the...where the..." Yuffie's eyes slowly fluttered open, taking in her surroundings. She turned her head and saw Vincent kneeling in front of her with concern marring his usually expressionless features. "Vince?" she said.

Vincent rolled his eyes. "Do I look like someone else to you? Has your fall concussed you?"

"Oh, shut up." Yuffie sat up, shivering. "Damn, am I cold! How the hell did I end up here? I kinda remember getting to Nibelheim, hoping I could get some shelter in the mountains. But then I passed out, I guess. What? Oh, thanks..." Yuffie accepted Vincent's cloak, as she was still shivering, and wrapped it round herself.

"I will find something dry for you to wear in a moment," Vincent said. "But, tell me...how did you come to be in Nibelheim, Yuffie? You are still staying with Godo in Wutai, are you not?"

At the sound of her father's name, Yuffie shuddered. Readjusting the cloak a little, she muttered, "That stupid, power-crazy old fool. I got sick of him eventually. The old guy's always moaning at me about something or other...I just gave him the slip around a week ago." She dropped her gaze from Vincent's disbelieving face and leaned back into the sofa, wincing as her back made contact."Shit, that hurts..." she moaned, closing her tired grey eyes briefly.

Vincent's knees were starting to ache, so he sat beside Yuffie instead. He pointed to her cheek. "Did he do this to you?" At his words, Yuffie's eyes filled with tears. Vincent looked towards the floor. "I am sorry. Have I offended you?"

"No, you haven't," Yuffie sobbed from beside him. "It _was_ him." Vincent looked back at Yuffie, who was now drying her eyes on the hem of his cloak. "Jerk..." she muttered.

"Why did he? What have you done?"

Another tear fell down Yuffie's cheek, but she wiped it away impatiently. She bowed her head and replied, "I can't tell you, Vince. I just can't. It's awful."

"Hmm. Would you tell me later?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Yuffie, don't be ridiculous. You're staying here with me tonight. Look at you-you're wet through to your skin, and you need rest, you have the eyes of a panda." He stood up. "Come with me," he added, signalling to her. Slightly nervous, Yuffie followed him upstairs and into his room, where she found Vincent rummaging through one of the drawers.

"What are you doing, Vince?"

Vincent looked up at her witheringly. "Yuffie, what does it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to find something for you to wear. Do you think I would let you sleep in what you are wearing now? It's soaked. Unless you want to wear it?"

"Not really, I'd be an icicle by the time I woke up, hehehe..."

"That's settled then. Here-"he passed her an old shirt, which she held up to herself.

"It's gonna swamp me!" she giggled.

"That is the general idea-you don't want to expose anything, do you?"

"True..."

"I gather you will want to dry yourself too, so I will get you a towel." Vincent swept out of the room in a black blur, and returned seconds later with a towel, which he dropped on her head with a squeal of protest from Yuffie. "I will leave you to get changed." When Yuffie had got the towel off her head, Vincent had left the room and closed the door behind him. Yawning, Yuffie peeled off her wet clothing and underwear and dried herself and her hair off. Stifling another yawn, she pulled Vincent's shirt over her ruffled head, then looked down at herself. _"Man, this guy's tall," _ she thought. Scooping up her clothes, Yuffie made for the door.

Meanwhile, Vincent stood in the kitchen, leaning on the table, lost in thought. _"What has happened to Yuffie to make her so distressed? And what has she done that is so terrible? Nobody deserves to be whipped at brutally as she has been...she was happy at Wutai, or so I thought..._

After Vincent, or rather, Chaos, had destroyed Omega, there was only time for a short reunion before Godo had appeared at Tifa's bar and demanded that Yuffie return to Wutai with him. Vincent remembered how she had tried to resist her father in vain, and she threatened to use Conformer on him when he attempted to drag her out. Vincent recalled the words she spoke before she left-"_I'll go with the fool, but don't think I'm staying forever! You guys are more important to me! I'll see you again..."_ With that, she had rushed out after her father...

~*~

"_Poor girl," _Vincent thought, then stopped himself. _"Wait, poor girl?! What am I thinking? I want her to be safe, she is my friend, but why do I feel so much sympathy?"_

"Vincent? Are you okay?"

Vincent opened his eyes and looked up to see Yuffie standing over him with a worried expression. He stood up. "I am fine," he said grimly.

Yuffie pursed her lips. "I've been watching you. You had this weird look on your face, and you kept twitching like you were having a fit. What's up?"

"Nothing. I was thinking, that is all, nothing of which you will find out about."

"Why?"

"Yuffie, its almost half past three in the morning. Get some sleep," Vincent snapped. He spotted the bundle in Yuffie's arms and took it off her. "I will wash this for you."

Yuffie turned slightly pink as she began to protest. "Vince, that's, er, got my, er, underwear in there, you know..."

"Just because I spent 30 years in a coffin does not mean I have never seen women's underwear before, Yuffie. You do not need to be embarrassed." He set the bundle on the table and beckoned for her to follow him out, which she did. Vincent went back to his room and pointed to his bed."Try to sleep now."

"Yeah, but, where?"

"_She really is getting on my nerves," _Vincent thought, rolling his eyes heavenwards. "What are we standing in?"

"A bedroom? _Your _bedroom, by any chance?"

"Precisely. You can stay in here. I have no intention of sleeping."

"But-"

"_Good night, _Yuffie," Vincent cut across, turning to leave. As his hand reached the doorknob, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see what Yuffie wanted. He expected to hear her rant on again, so he was surprised when she hugged him.

"I just wanted to say thanks, Vince," she said. "Thanks for helping me."

"I would not have left you out there in the rain, silly girl," Vincent replied dryly, surprising himself by sliding his arms round her, holding her close. "Now get some rest." He withdrew his arms and let her climb into bed. "Good night," he said, letting himself out and shutting the door quietly.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3-Foiled Plans and the Truth

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It was 6 o' clock in the evening when Yuffie woke up the next day. She stretched her body and sat up happily, feeling much better than she had done the previous night. Jumping out of bed, she noticed that her clothes had been washed for her, and lay at the foot of the bed. She scrambled into them, running a hand through her hair to tidy it. As she opened the door, she felt her stomach clench-she knew Vincent was going to interrogate her. Regardless, she made her way into the living room, where Vincent lay curled, fully dressed, on the sofa, asleep. _"Aww, he must have been shattered," _ Yuffie thought, tiptoeing to the kitchen to get a drink-she wasn't particularly hungry. As she stood by the sink, sipping her glass of water, her stomach seemed to loosen somewhat. _"Vincent can't ask me anything if he's asleep, can he? Or maybe I should just leave. Yeah, that'd be easier..."_

Draining her glass, she set it down on the side, and headed back into the living room. She stood watching Vincent sleep for a moment. _"He looks so cute..." _Yuffie observed. She cast her eyes to the window. Last night's storm had blown itself out, though the town was still considerably wet. _"Well, at least I won't get rained on this time. And no collapsing either."_

Yuffie crossed the room to the large wooden double doors. Turning the handle of one of the doors, she pulled slowly. The door creaked, swollen from the rain and not moving easily. Irritated, Yuffie tugged. The door creaked louder. "Crap," she swore, as she heard movement from behind her. Vincent opened his eyes and frowned from his position on the sofa, watching Yuffie try to open the door. He stood up and went to stand beside Yuffie. "Leaving so soon?" he asked her.

"Oh damn," she muttered. She looked away from him-she could feel her face growing hot. "I-well-"

"Maybe I should just take you back to your father?" Vincent said scathingly. "Is that what you want?"

"No, no, of course not, I just..."

"You wanted to avoid me, is that it? You didn't want me to ask questions. Well," Vincent put a hand on the door, closing it with a creak of damp wood, "you're not escaping that. I want answers, Yuffie, and you will give me answers. Do you understand?"

Yuffie folded her arms. "Sheesh, don't blow your top, Vince. Fine, I'll tell you, but please don't send me back to Godo, please!"

Vincent's hardened expression softened slightly. "I will not," he said softly. "Sit down, I want to know everything." He went back to the sofa and sat down on it himself.

Yuffie hesitantly followed suit. Twisting her hands in her lap, she said shakily, "Why do you want to know?"

"Because nobody deserves to be lashed as terribly as you have, and I want to know what is so awful that Godo has resorted to this violence. You may never have co-operated with or cared for your father, but nevertheless, he is family. He would not have lashed you if you had not disgraced him in some way, am I correct?"

Yuffie nodded, head bowed. "Well, when Godo took me away a year ago, he told me that I was to be prepared for leadership. He said once he was gone-I dearly hope that is soon- I would be leader of Wutai. I protested, claiming I was too young and I was not fit to rule, but he simply called me an arrogant brat and would not listen. I was only nineteen, I could not have governed Wutai in any way."

"The whole way back, I begged and pleaded for my father to reconsider his decision, begged him to find another leader older and wiser than I, yet he stood firm. "Yuffie, you are a princess of Wutai, lest your childish brain forgets! The Kisaragi clan has ruled for centuries and that is not about to change in any way!" Those were his exact words to me.. As soon as we returned I deserted Godo and fled to Da-Chao, where I wept for hours. I felt so low I desired nothing more than casting myself off the mountains and ending my life, for becoming the leader of Wutai meant I could never leave, never see my friends again..." Yuffie's voice trailed off.

Vincent, sat beside her, stayed silent. Yuffie was recounting the events in the story telling fashion all Wutainese children are taught from a young age. Her tale was easier to understand in this form, rather than her usual ranting. Finally, he spoke. "Carry on," he said softly.

"When I summoned the strength to climb down the mountains, it was nearing dawn. I reached the house I had lived in for so long, and there stood Godo. He was furious at me for running away from him. I stayed silent, and after some berating he softened the smallest amount. He said I need not worry so soon, as he would still be leader for a while to come. At those words, my heart soared with joy. I still had time... but even that could not last."

"I lived happily in Wutai, on my home soil, for a year. I would have gone on living there forever, if I had the choice of staying a princess and not having to become something I could never hope to be. At this time, it was a beautiful dusky evening, and I sat contentedly at the peak of Da-Chao, gazing out at my beloved town. I heard footsteps break the silence, and as I turned, I recognised Gorki.

"Lady Kisaragi, Lord Godo requests your presence. He has joyful news for Your Ladyship," he told me.

Eagerly, I followed Gorki down Da-Chao. I was sure this news could only mean my father had found another leader. Yet when I reached my father, I knew this news was not going to be to my liking at all."

Vincent closed his eyes, letting the young ninja's words wash over him. He could picture the scene, the dreaded words of Godo to Yuffie...

~*~

_Yuffie stood in front of her father, hands clasped behind her back. "Well?" she demanded impatiently._

"_Less of that, if you will, my girl," Godo chided. "Listen to my words, Yuffie, for I think you will be grateful of me. I have secured you a joyous future, a future you will be content to be with for the rest of your days."_

_Yuffie's mouth dropped open in amazement. That could only mean..._

"_M-marriage?" she stammered. "Is that what you mean?!"_

_Godo laughed heartily. "Of course, girl! You are of the age where you should be settling down with a loving husband and, when the time comes, have a family. The world is large, Yuffie. A man can protect you from it."_

_Yuffie felt her insides boiling with rage. Why did nobody consult her first? Did anyone care about her say in the matter? Forcing herself to keep her voice steady, she said with as much respect as she could, "And who is this man whom you have sought?"_

_Gorki began to shift uncomfortably from one foot to the other. Godo frowned at him, and Gorki lowered his head. "My apologies, my Lord."_

"_It matters not, do not apologise. You have no need for embarrassment. Do not look at me like that, Yuffie, you are not marrying Gorki!" Yuffie breathed a sigh of relief. "But, I have spoken most carefully with Gorki, and I am delighted to say that he is allowing me to marry you to his son, Siyo. I assure you, young Siyo is a most remarkable gentleman, I am sure you will live happily with him forever more!"_

"_Oh Leviathan..." Yuffie thought. "I don't even know this Siyo," she exclaimed, abandoning her attempts to show respect. "Who is he and why have I not seen him before?"_

"_Ah, yes... Gorki here is, unfortunately, a divorced man who, when he divorced his wife, allowed her to take care of their son. Gorki had the job of guarding the Pagoda even then, and his son was a year old by this time. His wife took Siyo and left to live in Midgar. Unfortunately, she had no money and was forced to live in Sector 7, which you know, Shinra collapsed. She died but somehow, baby Siyo survived and was brought up by a most caring man in Sector 6. Or so we thought he was caring. Four years ago he brought Siyo to Wutai and left him to his own devices while he 'took care of some business.' He kidnapped you and a member of the Turks-"_

"_Wait a minute, he was raised by DON CORNEO?!"_

"_Yes, that was him, but don't interrupt- he took you and that Turk girl to Da-Chao, and as you should remember, your friends and the Turks arrived and killed Corneo. You left Wutai soon after, but Siyo remained here. He has been living with Gorki ever since, and he helps at the Pagoda. So now I have told you who he is, would you like to meet him? He still resides at the Pagoda."_

_Yuffie took a deep breath and forced a smile onto her face. Turning to Gorki, she said, "Thank you, Gorki, for being so thoughtful. It truly is an honour to be married to your son."_

_Gorki flushed. "No need to thank me, Lady Kisaragi. You should thank your father."_

"_Yes, I will, but please, may I ask you to step outside? I require a private discussion with my father."_

"_Yes, yes, of course, Milady. I shall go. Call me if you need me." Bowing , Gorki swept from the room._

_Godo frowned. "What is so important that Gorki cannot hear what is to be said?"_

"_If you please, father, I did not want to offend him."_

_Offend him? You mean you refuse to marry his son? After all I have wrought for you, everything I have provided?" Godo's voice began to rise with anger._

"_Please, father, hear my words. I am grateful that you have done this for me, but I regret to say that I do not wish to marry yet. I still believe I am too young."_

_Godo's face burned red. Raising a hand, he slapped Yuffie hard, knocking her back. "You insolent brat," he growled. "You think the entire world revolves around you, don't you? Well, child, I am your father and you will do as I say! You will marry in three week's time, or I wash my hands of you completely!"_

"_I would rather die than marry someone I do not know!"Yuffie cried. "A man raised by a pervert has no place in my heart! I cannot love a man who will follow the same path as Corneo!"_

_Godo balled his hands into fists. "I had hoped you would not reject my offer, girl," he said. "First, you blatantly refuse to become leader of Wutai, now you refuse to marry the best man I can find for you. So I have something to force you into it..." He turned and opened a cupboard, bringing out-a whip._

_Turning back to his terrified daughter, he whispered, "So, the prospect of eternal marriage? Or do I have to punish you?" Yuffie defiantly held her tongue and said nothing. This angered Godo further. "You disgust me, you disobedient wretch!" he screamed, raising the whip and slashing her face._

_The pain that seared through Yuffie was sickening, unbearable. She cried out in agony and fell to the floor, clutching her cheek. Godo took his chances and lashed her across her back, hitting her harder whenever she tried to stand up. Eventually, she remained where she was, tears leaking from beneath her tightly closed eyes, sobs wracking her burning body. _

_Godo hit her one final time, then tossed the whip aside. Bending down to her ear, he hissed, "And let that be a lesson to you, my girl, never to defy me. For as of now, I HAVE NO DAUGHTER!"With that, he stormed from the room, leaving Yuffie to weep with pain and sorrow._

~*~

"I escaped, once I had the strength. It took me a full week to get here. And that...t-that's w-what happened...are you s-satisfied?" Yuffie whispered as she finished her tale. Without warning, she burst into tears of anguish.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4-Oops!

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Vincent shook his head. He knew Godo was always a person who liked people to do as he told them to, but to brutally whip his own daughter and disown her was beyond belief. He looked at the sobbing girl sat with her head in her shaking hands beside him, and something rose inside him. Was it pity? Was it wanting to care for her, keep her safe? Vincent didn't know, but he did the only thing he could think of. For the second time, he wrapped his arms around her, held her to his chest, stroking her short black hair as she cried.

Yuffie was so taken aback that she gasped aloud. This was not the way Vincent normally acted-he was just an expressionless vampire who liked to muse over Lucrecia. Nevertheless, Yuffie wasn't complaining-at that moment she wanted nothing more than to be held. She nestled closer to him and dried her dripping eyes with the back of her hand. Vincent held her closer, murmuring, "Don't cry, you're safe here..."

Yuffie dried her eyes again and looked up at Vincent. "Why are you being so nice to me? You're not usually like this." She sniffed again. Her grey eyes locked onto Vincent's red ones, waiting for him to answer.

Vincent sighed. "I know what it is like to be scared, Yuffie. It is not an experience anybody wants to remember, yet somehow you always do. Back when I was in the Turks, I went to Hojo when I found out that he had injected pregnant Lucrecia with Jenova cells. She had collapsed in agony, wanting to die. I was furious at Hojo, yet he just laughed. He shot me in the chest, and I fell to the floor, not knowing if I would die. I truly was terrified, Yuffie...when I woke and found what he had done to me I knew there was no place in the world for me. That...that is why I slept in the coffin for 30 years. Until you and the party discovered me."

~*~

It was midnight, and Yuffie awoke abruptly, feeling as though someone had doused her in ice-cold water. She had had a nightmare, about her father...

She swung her legs out of bed and went out of her room, padding softly down the corridor towards Vincent's room. Cracking open the door a little, she peered inside, almost gasping at what she saw. Vincent was fast asleep, one arm under his head. But it wasn't that that stunned her; it was how handsome he looked when sleeping. Moonlight fell across his calm face, illuminating it. His raven hair spread out in a dusky halo round his head, a few strands falling across his face. The blanket had been kicked off a little, revealing him in only black boxers. Yuffie stared at his smooth chest, watching his slow breathing. She steeled herself to move forward, so she was standing beside his sleeping form. Hesitating a little, she leaned over him, touching his arm, but she didn't even get a chance to speak his name to rouse him. Vincent shot upright, eyes flying open; his eyes grew wider when his head hit Yuffie's, their lips colliding with such force that Yuffie had to grab Vincent to stop herself falling. She froze when she realised their lips were still. And she still had her fingers tightly closed round his arm. Yuffie yelped and leapt back, grey eyes looking like they were going to burst out of their sockets.

Vincent glared at her. "One-what was that about? Two-what are you doing in my room at this time?"

Yuffie slapped herself mentally. _"Oh man..."_

"Oh, I, er...it's nothing..." Yuffie bit her lip, and bolted out of his room, her face scarlet. Vincent sat, frozen where he was, wondering what the hell that was all about. _"I will think about this in the morning," _he said to himself, lying down again, running a finger over his lips, where he could still feel the younger woman's. And in the opposite room, a stricken Yuffie lay awake all night, staring at the ceiling, transfixed.

As soon as it was morning, Vincent departed for the cave he knew so well...


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5-Lucrecia and Nanaki

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Sitting on the floor, in the shimmering, crystalline grotto behind the waterfall, Vincent closed his eyes and tilted his head back, as if trying to drain his thoughts out via the back of his head. _"Why? Why did this have to happen?"_

Vincent stood up and approached the crystal in the centre of the room. It was the main reason for the radiant light filling the cavern, and trapped within the crystal, hands clasped together, eyes closed, was Lucrecia. There was a shallow moat of water surrounding the crystal, but Vincent simply walked through it till he stood in front of the crystal. He raised his gloved hand and touched the crystal, tracing her face. "Lucrecia," Vincent murmured. "It has been a while. A year, in fact..."

Rippling, distorted sounds echoed across the cavern as the soft whisper of "Vin...cent..." came from the crystal where Lucrecia resided.

A smile broke out on Vincent's face; a true smile, not just a humourless smirk. He knew Lucrecia could never truly die, like him, so he could talk freely with her, though he could not always understand what she said. "My love," he whispered, still standing in front of the crystal. "Have I betrayed you, Lucrecia? Have I simply thrown away all I felt for you?"

For a moment he heard nothing, then he heard a series of distorted whispers- _"On....n....move on...."_

"But how can I move on, when such terrible sin and sorrow tear at my insides? You knew how much I cared for you, how much I loved you, yet after Father's death, you would not approach me at all. And now...I have disgusted myself. My friends mean a lot to me, but with one slight accident I believe everything has changed for Yuffie and myself. Her lips on mine...did I expect it to feel wrong? I did, yes. But it didn't, and instead I desired nothing more than to take her, make her mine." He turned away from the crystal, splashing through the water to sit down again. Leaning back on his arms, he continued to speak. "What is wrong with me, Lucrecia? Why must I live in the past? Why can I not decide what is right for me to do?"

"_Cannot...not help...learn...your own..."_

Vincent sighed. "It is not possible. I fear Yuffie will resent me for as long as she lives. That thought will plague me forever." He stood up, sweeping his hair from his face. "I will seek the advice of another. I will return soon. Goodbye for now, my love..." Vincent gave Lucrecia one last look, before exiting the cavern. He knelt down, blue light encasing him. He felt his body transforming-in a matter of seconds, his body was naught but a pulsating scarlet blob of sorts. Taking flight, he flew in the direction of Cosmo Canyon, hoping to seek the advice of Nanaki.

~*~

Vincent touched down at the entrance to Cosmo Canyon, transforming back into his human form. The man guarding the entrance stared in amazement, but he recognised Vincent when he drew near. "Ah, Mr. Valentine!"he exclaimed. "What brings you to Cosmo Canyon this fine morning?"

" I was hoping to speak to Nanaki, if that is possible," Vincent said shortly.

"Yes, yes, of course. You will find him by Cosmo Candle. He is sleeping at this precise moment in time, but I am sure he will not be troubled by you waking him."

"Thank you," Vincent replied, striding past him. Cosmo Canyon had not changed since he had last visited; it still looked as natural as it ever did. Casting his eyes around for the small fire they called Cosmo Candle, he spotted Nanaki lying beside it. Indeed, he was asleep; as Vincent watched him, he stretched slightly, readjusting his paws. Vincent went over and sat down beside him. Placing a hand on his head, he said softly, "Nanaki...wake up..."

The sleeping scarlet beast opened one yellow eye. When he saw who was beside him, he opened the other eye and sat up on his back legs. "Vincent. I am pleased to see you again."

"And I you," Vincent replied, stroking the fur on Nanaki's head, who closed his eyes lazily, tilting back his head.

"So, what can I assist you with?" Nanaki said. "It seems you are preoccupied in some way."

Vincent stopped stroking Nanaki's head. "Yes, I feel as though I have committed another sin."

"Ah. Explain more, if you will."

"I shall start from the beginning-last night I found Yuffie collapsed outside. I brought her in and examined her. I found she has been mercilessly whipped across her back and cheek. When she came to, I asked her what had happened, but she cried and refused to tell me. I let her stay at the manor for the night, and when she woke, she tried to leave. However, she woke me in the process and I pressured her for answers. Eventually she told me her father had whipped her for refusing to consent to an arranged marriage. She has escaped Wutai, and is to marry in two week's time. That is, if Godo finds her, which I regret to say will probably be soon-he knows we are her friends. But when she went to sleep later, she woke, for reasons I do not know. She came into my room, meaning to wake me, but I woke before she could rouse me and sat up. But then..."

"Tell me, Vincent."

Nanaki allowed Vincent ten seconds of silence. Finally, he spoke again, in a hoarse voice. " My head hit hers and...we...in a way..._kissed..."_

Nanaki's brow furrowed for a moment. "Why, may I ask, is this so terrible?"

Gripping his hair, Vincent spoke in a voice of forced calm. "Because I feel I have betrayed Lucrecia, and my love for her."

Sighing, Nanaki proceeded to groom himself. Wearily, he retorted, "Vincent, how many times have all of us told you that you need to move on with your life, and stop living in the past?"

"I know, my friend, I know...that is what Lucrecia said to me too." Vincent removed his hand from his tangle of black hair and moved closer to the fire. "I just don't know what I feel."

"You are likely to be confused after such an event. You have not betrayed Lucrecia at all, however; if anything she will be happy for you, happy that you are finally starting to move on. She may always have a place in your heart, and there is no reason why that should not be so; you truly did love Lucrecia, but maybe you will feel better if you have someone else you can love. Tell me..." Nanaki looked round, and lowered his voice before speaking again, "Did either of you respond to the...kiss at all?"

Vincent shook his head. "No, she pulled away too quickly for either of us to respond."

"Ah." Nanaki appeared to think for a moment. "You should talk to her. Do you feel anything at all for her?"

" I...I don't know. She is young, but she is an adult now. She has matured over the years, and I have to say she has grown into a beautiful woman. She may have captured my heart, I do not know. If so, I must let my feelings develop to be sure."

"A wise decision, my friend. Bear in mind, she is still young, so you mustn't hurt her."

"Thank you, I will remember your words." Vincent stood up. "Your words have comforted me, as they always have done. It is a privilege to have you around; we were lucky to have met you."

Nanaki stood too, letting Vincent lay his hand on his head. "I wish you luck, Vincent." Nanaki walked with Vincent to the entrance. "Remember, I am always here, if ever you should have need of me."

"Thank you." Vincent lowered his head respectfully, then swept from Cosmo Canyon, deciding to walk back, to give him to think.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6-Hiding

* * *

When Vincent returned to the manor, he found Yuffie in the kitchen, drinking a glass of water. "Are you feeling okay?" he enquired. "You haven't eaten anything since you got here."

Yuffie looked round at him, then looked away again. "I'm just not hungry. Don't worry, I'm fine. What about you, you haven't eaten either." She turned round again to see Vincent making himself a sandwich.

"Generally, I can't cook, so I mainly survive on sandwiches and cereal," he said shortly. He took a bite out of his sandwich.

"Gawd, no wonder you're so thin."

"Speak for yourself, skinny," Vincent replied, running a finger down her arm to indicate. Yuffie froze, and Vincent withdrew his finger as though he had been burned. "I am sorry," he muttered, leaving the kitchen hastily and withdrawing to his room.

Yuffie allowed him a few minutes before following him. She could hear him talking to someone from the other side of the door; he was obviously using his phone. Yuffie pressed her ear to the closed door so as to eavesdrop.

"Is he there with you?...No? Good, that's good. Yes, of course, since yesterday, though I can't imagine how..."

Yuffie scowled-they were talking about her, she knew it. Then Vincent spoke again, and she put her ear back to the door.

"But this fast? He must be desperate...yes, I'll speak to her, she needs to know...Cloud, I do not wish to hide this information, she deserves to know. But if he sends a message again, say she is not with me. I cannot afford to have Godo take her back, she is unhappy enough at the moment...Right. I will call you later if need arises...yes. Goodbye."

Yuffie heard Vincent move from the inside of the room-she darted to the living room. A second later, Vincent appeared, looking grim. He crossed the room and shut the faded red curtains.

"What's that for?"

"We may be being watched," was Vincent's brief reply. He sat down, but further away from Yuffie. "Yuffie, I was talking to Cloud on the phone. Godo sent a messenger to Kalm, where Cloud and Tifa now live, and demanded to know where you are. Neither Cloud nor Tifa said anything, as they did not know where you were at the time, but I have told them you are with me. Godo is sending messengers to all the places you could be-Corel, Rocket Town-soon it will be a matter of time before a messenger arrives here."

Yuffie snorted and rolled her eyes. "They won't take me without a fight!"

"That's the difficult part. For one, you have no fighting weapon. And two, Godo has said that if his messengers find you and bring you back, he feels you have disgraced him so badly that if you are found, you are to be brought before him, where he will personally kill you."

"Oh man, he's serious, isn't he?" Yuffie said shakily.

"I'm afraid so. So unfortunately, that means you will have to stay in here. If you go out, and they find you, I cannot always be there to protect you."

"Oh, that's okay. Nibelheim's kinda boring anyway, so I'm content with staying inside."

"Good." Vincent consulted his phone-it read 20:30. "I barely had any sleep, so I am catching up."

Yuffie groaned in frustration. "Aww damn. Looks like I'm gonna be bored for a while then. Can't you talk to me for a bit?"

Vincent smirked. "Good night, Yuffie," he said, standing up.

"Night," Yuffie replied. Slightly nervous, she got up, wandered over to Vincent and kissed his cheek. Blushing pink, she darted away upstairs. Slightly dazed, Vincent drifted up to his room. As he unbuckled his cloak and unbuttoned his shirt, tossing them onto a chair, he thought. _"Yuffie kissed my cheek. That can only mean she likes me too...maybe I should just tell her how I feel about her. It feels like I shouldn't feel this way about her, but I can't help it-the way she talks, her cheeky smile...the feel of her lips on mine..."_ By this time, Vincent was in bed, pulling the duvet over himself. _Nanaki has given me good advice, but will it help me any?"_ Vincent yawned and pulled his bandana from his head, letting it drop from his fatigued fingers onto the floor as his eyes slid shut.

~*~

In the room across from Vincent's, Yuffie sat cross legged on the bed, examining her reflection in a small mirror she had found while looking in the drawers. Pursing her lips, she turned her face and examined her cheek. She had not seen the damage before, as she had not had time to look in a mirror before her escape from Wutai. Nearly all the redness had gone, but parts of the skin were still raised, and throbbed painfully when she touched them. Absent-mindedly, her hand crept up the back of her shirt to touch the whip marks on her back. These ones still had not gone down, as Godo had hit her harder across her back. Yuffie scowled, cursing her father, hating him. _He plans to have me killed," _she thought, chewing her nails unconsciously. "_I can never go near Wutai again. Never stand at the peak of Da-Chao to view all beneath me, never sit among the cherry blossoms again...I have disgraced my clan..."_ A crystal tear slowly tracked down Yuffie's pale face, falling into her lap. She blinked fiercely, wiping the tear track away, stifling a sob. _"I mustn't wake Vince, he needs his sleep," _ she thought. She found herself thinking about what had happened the previous night. _"Why did I not pull away the instant our lips touched? Am I mad or something? And yet...it didn't feel wrong...." _ Yuffie sighed. She was bored, and she couldn't go out for fear of being captured. Deciding the only option was to go to sleep also, she kicked off her boots and climbed into bed, fully clothed. _"Got to stop myself thinking about Vince. Might as well sleep." _ She turned over, closing her eyes. _"Maybe I should just talk to him..."_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7-Starting to worry

* * *

A week had slowly dwindled by since Yuffie's arrival in Nibelheim. She had settled in well, but Vincent had noticed a change in her-a change he hardly saw as beneficial. Her confinement to the manor made her bored and restless, and she had begun to wander aimlessly round the manor in an attempt to find something to do, or else stay in her room for hours on end. She had also become significantly jumpy; a sudden noise such as a door opening would make her squeal in fright, and she often peered through the curtains of the living room, withdrawing quickly whenever anybody came into vision. Vincent had also noticed Yuffie was pale and seemed to be losing weight, as though hiding out of sight was taxing her to her very limit.

One bright, mild afternoon Yuffie happened to be stretched out on the sofa, arms dangling limply over the side, eyes half closed. _"The weather is mocking me," _she thought bitterly. _"It's calling to me-"Come, Yuffie! Come on out! Oh sorry, I forgot, you can't!" What a drag."_

"Why can you not just find _something _to occupy yourself with?" Vincent asked, looking up from the book he was reading.

"Man, Vince, I've tried. If I'd brought some stuff from Wutai with me, I'd be happy all the time! Plus I'm stuck here till dad calls off the hunt for me, and lack of sun is making me look grey. Boredom and ugliness don't mix, Vince. It makes me feel worse."

"You're not ugly," Vincent said, shaking his head. "The marks on your cheek have almost gone now-consider that a good thing. As for Godo giving up, I am sure he will realise that you are old enough to make your own decisions on who you want to marry soon. You will be free to go anywhere soon enough." Vincent folded down a corner of his book and laid it aside. "Anyway, I have some news you may like."

"Oh yeah?" Yuffie muttered sceptically. " What might that be?"

"Oh, cheer up...apparently, Tifa has been so worried about you lately that she and Cloud are coming to Nibelheim to see you. Tifa called me earlier to tell me she will stop by Cosmo Canyon on the way and see if Nanaki can come along too. She thinks you need some company."

Yuffie's face, which had at first looked bored and uninterested, had brightened up a great deal, and a wide smile was appearing. "Really?" she asked. "Aww, she really is thoughtful, I guess." She sat up, looking eager. "When are they coming?"

Vincent pulled his phone out of his pocket, looking at the screen. "...About two hours," he replied.

"Oh wow, I'm not gonna be bored for once! Plus I see the guys again...damn, it's been a while, don't you think, Vince?" she burbled happily.

Picking his book up again, Vincent raised it higher to hide his smile as he began to read again. _"She is happy again. At least, for a while."_

~*~

Later on, around 5 o'clock, there was a light tap at the the door. Instinctively, Yuffie yelled and sped out of the room and up the stairs, thinking Godo was going to get her. Rolling his crimson eyes, Vincent got to his feet and opened the door. Cloud and Tifa stood on the steps, smiling at their old comrade.

"Hey, Vincent!" Tifa said, stepping forward and hugging him, while Cloud laughed at the surprised expression that crossed Vincent's face.

"Tif, I think you're suffocating him!"

Tifa let go, also laughing. "It's great to see you again, it's been ages," she said.

Vincent let a small smile form, partly hidden by his cloak. "Good to see you two as well." Peering behind them, Vincent frowned. "Wasn't Nanaki supposed to be, er, 'tagging along'?"

Cloud grinned. "He had to finish some stuff off. He says he'll be here in around ten minutes."

"Good." With a slight movement of his head, he beckoned the pair inside, leaving the door open for Nanaki to arrive.

Cloud stared around the front room. Last time he saw Shinra Manor, it had been four years ago, and it was teeming with monsters, falling apart. It looked a lot different now. "Wow, done this place up a little, haven't you?"

"Cloud, you would not believe how stupid I looked fixing this manor. For a start, paint on my face does not add to my appearance at all. Nor does falling off the roof mending the tiles."

Both Tifa and Cloud laughed. "Say, where's Yuffie?" Tifa stopped laughing, looking serious.

"She seems to think that you two are going to capture her and put her to death. However, I will see if I can find her." Vincent swept up the stairs, returning a few minutes later with Yuffie.

At the sight of her old friends, Yuffie gave a cry of delight and bounded down to them. Gleefully, she ran and hugged them both tightly. "Hi guys, it's great to see you again!" she cried breathlessly. She drew away from them and scrutinised them. "You don't look any different than when I saw you a year ago...wait..." Yuffie's eyes trailed over Tifa's leather-clad stomach. A slight bump was clearly visible. "My god...you're not...!"

Tifa smiled widely. "You thought right, Yufs!" She ran a hand over her stomach. "We've wanted a baby for ages, and now we're going to have one!"

Vincent, sat on the stairs, looked up. "How far are you, Tifa?"

"Hmm...must be about 5 months now. I'm skinny, so it shows a lot."

Vincent smiled again. _"Why am I smiling so much?" _ "Congratulations, both of you, " he said.

"Yeah, congrats!" Yuffie smiled. "You guys are gonna be great parents, I just know it! Ohmygod, Cloud's gonna be a daddy!" She laughed heartily as Cloud blushed a bright red that could rival Vincent's cloak.

"Anyway, enough about us, tell us what's happened recently here," Tifa enquired, sitting down on the sofa, Cloud sitting on the arm. Yuffie settled herself cross legged on the floor, beaming with pure happiness.

Vincent seemed to think for a moment. "Not much, if you must know the truth. I must admit I wasn't expecting Yuffie of all people to turn up here. A pleasant surprise, if you will. You know the story of what happened, I told you last week-"

"Yeah, come to think of it-Yuffie, come here a minute," Tifa beckoned the ninja towards her, who scrambled up. "Yeah?" she said.

Tifa reached out a hand and touched the marks on Yuffie's cheek. "Oh, you poor soul!" she sympathised. "Does it hurt any?" Yuffie shook her head. "What about the other ones? On your back?"

"A little, but they don't bother me anymore." Yuffie sat on the floor again. Tifa turned back to Vincent. "Sorry, Vincent, you were speaking."

"Well," he continued, "It's been different with Yuffie here, it was lonely before she arrived. But I plan on letting her stay here until her father relents."

"Won't be anytime soon, we know what he's like," Cloud muttered under his breath. Yuffie heard him, and her face went white. "Yuffie, do not worry. That is only Cloud's opinion, it may not be true," Vincent soothed. Pointing to the door, he said, "Look who's here, Yuffie..."

Nanaki sat in the doorway, looking round at the gathered group. Yuffie jumped up and ran to him, kneeling down and hugging him. "Good to see you again, Red," she said in a voice muffled by his fur. Nanaki put his paw on her shoulder gently. "My pleasure, little one," he replied in his low, growling voice. Yuffie released him and he padded softly to Cloud, Tifa and Vincent, sitting down beside the fireplace. Yuffie sat next to him, stroking a hand up and down his warm back. "Thanks, guys, "she beamed. "It's really nice that you're thinking of me when you have other concerns."

Tifa giggled, sweeping her hair back. "How can we forget you, Yufs? The stunts you used to pull 4 years ago are forever etched into our minds!"

"Yeah, like taking our materia and getting captured by Corneo," Cloud interjected.

"And your constant airsickness..." Nanaki cut in, grooming himself.

Yuffie grinned sheepishly. "Hey, I've grown up now! A little...I don't steal materia anymore, but my airsickness is still there, which sucks like hell. But being older isn't all wine and roses...dad still thinks I'm his little girl, there for him to push around..." Yuffie bowed her head.

"Cheer up, Yuffie," Cloud said. "We're always here to protect you! Friends are forever, remember!"

"Yeah, you're right!" Yuffie exclaimed. "Forget the old man, he's not worth thinking about right now! I've got my friends with me, that's all that matters!"

Laughing, Cloud slid off the arm of the sofa to sit next to Yuffie, ruffling her hair. "That's the spirit!"

~*~

"Vincent, can I talk to you?" Vincent looked up; he had had his eyes closed, and had not noticed Tifa in front of him. "Of course," he said, standing up. "Privately?"

"Please. I'd rather nobody overhear. " Tifa followed Vincent out of the living room, into the large, empty room containing only the old piano. "What troubles you, Tifa?" Vincent asked, putting his hands in his pockets while Tifa sat on top of the piano.

"The question is, what _isn't _troubling me, Vincent." Tifa absent-mindedly swung her slender legs while she gazed at Vincent's confused face. "How do you think Yuffie is these days?"

Vincent cupped his chin with his metal hand, trying to figure out where this was going. "She seems fine to me. A little pale, and she has lost some weight, but I believe this is down to stress. I see no reason to worry about her too much." Vincent looked back at Tifa, whose expression had hardened. "What did I say?" Vincent asked.

"Vincent, have you even paid any attention to her at all?!"

"I-I do not understand-"

"Oh, you wouldn't, would you?" All the cheeriness that had previously surrounded Tifa had vanished. She swung herself off the piano and stood, arms folded. The silence was so deathly you could have heard a pin drop. Tifa looked as if she would like nothing better than to slap Vincent.

"Perhaps you would care to explain a little more?" Vincent whispered in a dangerous voice.

Tifa's expression softened a little. "I'm sorry, Vincent, I'm just so worried about Yuffie."

"_Why?_"

Tifa dropped her gaze. Her voice trembled. "She looks really ill, haven't you realised? She's so thin...has she eaten anything at _all_?"

Vincent thought back a little. "She has spent increasing amounts of time in her room these days. No, I do not believe I have seen her eat while she has been here, though she is always drinking."

"As I feared..." Tifa's eyes were now sparkling with tears. "I think she is so stressed about this whole Godo thing that she is just wasting away, her appetite gone completely. When I hugged her earlier, I felt just how thin she was. She's not far off being a perfect skeleton, Vincent..."A solitary tear dropped from Tifa's face.

Vincent raised a hand and wiped the tear track away gently. "I will take care of her, Tifa," he murmured.

Tifa managed a watery smile, wiping her eyes. "You've changed..." she said. "You never used to be so caring. What has made you change?"

Twisting a strand of hair, Vincent shrugged. "I have no idea." He opened the door to the living room, and exited, followed by Tifa.

~*~

A burst of breathless laughter reached their ears-Cloud had wrestled Yuffie to the floor and was tickling her relentlessly, while she writhed madly, trying to get away, giggling hysterically. Nanaki was watching the playful scene with a small smile on his wolfish face.

Cloud looked up at Vincent and Tifa, and he momentarily stopped tickling Yuffie. "Hey guys! What was all that about?" Yuffie, tears of laughter in her eyes, sat up, chest heaving. "Oh no you don't," Cloud growled, pretending to be angry, his fingers flying over her stomach, making her collapse helplessly.

"Oh, it was nothing important," Tifa said dismissively, sitting down. "Give over, Cloud, before she dies from lack of breath," she added, smirking. Cloud dropped his arms reluctantly, allowing Yuffie to wobble to her feet, still giggling. She made her way over to where Vincent had sat down on the sofa, and dropped down next to him. "Ican'tbreathe," she gasped, hands over her stomach. Vincent rolled his eyes. "You have cheered up considerably," he observed.

"Yeah..." Yuffie closed her eyes, breathing slowly, trying to get her breath back. After a few minutes, she opened her eyes and gazed around at everyone. "Thanks guys," she said, "for being so thoughtful. It's nice to know that someone out there remembers me..."she trailed off, smiling happily.

Nanaki padded over to Yuffie, sitting in front of her. Speaking in his growling voice, he said, "We do not forget, little one, that you fought alongside us 4 years ago. You have become a close and valuable friend, and while you endure hardships in your life, we will be there for you, no matter what. We do not forget our friends..."

A broad smile brightened Yuffie's face. She rubbed her finger behind Nanaki's ears, while he closed his eyes contentedly. "Thank you, Red," she whispered. Her other hand rose to wipe her eyes.

Tifa spoke sharply, "Yufs, are you okay?" Yuffie nodded, continuing to wipe her grey eyes.

"It's just so strange," she sniffed. "I was always an annoyance to you all, you guys never liked me 'cos I was always in your face and stealing your materia..."she sniffed again, "and I was never any use in battle 'cos I was too young... but now you guys are all nice to me, like I never pissed you off in your life."

"Yuffie..." Vincent put a hand on Yuffie's face and turned her head so she was looking at him. Yuffie observed his face through her watery eyes-the tender way in which Vincent was looking at her was slightly unnerving; she had never seen such an expression on his face. "Yuffie...we never disliked you. We were all so preoccupied with saving the Earth that we had no ears for your childishness. As for our materia-our materia were precious, necessary for our success. We could not have defeated Sephiroth without them. Naturally, we were cross when you took them. But we never disliked you in any way, shape or form. So do not believe that this is not so...for you are as important to us as we are to you..." he gave her hand a brief squeeze, letting go rather quickly, looking highly embarrassed. He looked fiercely at Cloud, who was grinning. "May I ask what is so funny?" he said coldly.

"Geez, Vincent, calm it. I'm just not used to you now. You've changed so much in a short space of time that you don't even seem like the brooding vampire we found having a nightmare in an old coffin 4 years ago. You show more expression and emotion than you ever did, for a start."

"I know, I have no idea why." Vincent fiddled with a clasp on his cloak, noticing Nanaki's glowing amber eyes fixed on him. He knew what he was thinking. _"It's Yuffie...she's changing me. I think...I think I possibly could be falling in love with her, though why I do not know. It feels strange."_

~*~

Around an hour and a half later, Tifa consulted her watch. "It's been great coming down here to see you two again, but I think Cloud and I should head back now." She stood up, followed by Cloud.

"Yeah, I've enjoyed coming back to Nibelheim for a while-makes a change from Kalm," he said.

Vincent nodded. "How will you get back to Kalm?" he asked.

"Well, we're staying at Cosmo for the night, then we'll head off in the morning. Simple," Tifa smiled. Nanaki sat up from his position on the rug beside the fire, shaking his mane. "I, too, will retire to Cosmo Canyon." He turned his head to Vincent and Yuffie. "It has been an enjoyable day, I am glad I was invited to join you."

"Today's been super, guys, " Yuffie burbled as she and Vincent walked the others to the door. "I hope I see you again soon," she added, hugging Tifa and Cloud, then stroking Nanaki's soft fur.

"See you...and congratulations again on your pregnancy, Tifa," Vincent said.

"Thanks," she replied. "If you need us, you know where we are tonight." She gave Vincent a quick hug, murmuring quietly ,"Take care of her, Vincent." She drew away, smiling again. "You take care of yourselves now, "she said, raising a hand in farewell as she started walking with the others down the path.

Yuffie and Vincent watched them till they had shut the gate behind them, then they shut the door. Turning to Vincent, Yuffie wrapped her thin arms round him, nestling close. "Thanks, Vince," she said." Thanks for everything."

Vincent returned the embrace, pulling her closer. "I have lost count of the times you have said 'thank you' today." He gave a dry chuckle, stroking a hand gently up and down her back. She squirmed as his hand reached her shoulders. "Oh, ticklish there, are we?" Vincent's hands flew rapidly over her shoulders, and she leapt back with a cry of mirth. "I think I've been tickled enough today, Vince!" she protested, though she laughed as she said it.

"At least it cheered you up. You have been like a limp rag recently." Vincent sat himself down, and picked up the book he had previously been reading. "I am glad to see you full of life again," he said quietly.

"_She is altering me so much. I don't even feel the man I used to be."_

"_I will talk to her again soon. I do not want to spoil her happiness right now. Tifa was so worried...and she has reason to-Yuffie does seem a little too thin. Yes, I will talk to her in a few days."_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8-True Panic

* * *

Two days after Cloud, Tifa and Nanaki's visit, Vincent sat Yuffie down, looking rather grave and concerned. "Yuffie, I do not want you to take offence at this, but I need to talk to you...about your weight."

"M-my weight?" Yuffie stammered. "I don't understand. What's wrong with my weight?" Vincent did not know why, but her blindness annoyed him.

"Yuffie, are you oblivious to your own body?" Vincent asked impatiently. "This is what I was talking with Tifa about the other day-she was crying because you look so thin and ill. You haven't eaten a single thing since you have been here, and I think I have a right to know why." He crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair, awaiting her answer.

Yuffie was stumped by this. For one, Vincent was actually concerned for her, two, she couldn't see anything wrong with her weight. "Look, Vince, I don't see why you should be worrying. I'm fine, I feel fine. I'm sure I've eaten, why wouldn't I?"

"You tell me." Vincent stood up and began to pace the room. "I can see what has been eaten in the last week, by what is there and what isn't. I know for a fact you haven't been near any food since you've been here, and it's likely you didn't eat much on your way to Nibelheim. All you have done is drunk water, and I want to know-_why?_ I understand you will be worried about your father capturing you, but that is no reason to starve yourself. Yuffie, I genuinely am worried for your health-you look terrible."

Yuffie had sat quietly through this little speech, but her mind was bubbling. Finally she said, in a controlled voice, "I am fine. I've already told you. I just haven't been hungry."

"Yuffie, that is not enough!" Vincent's voice was starting to rise with impatience and anger. "In a few days, you will be naught but a skeleton! All I want is for you to be happy, and this can hardly be making you happy!"

"I don't see why _you _want me to be happy!" Yuffie was starting to lose control of her voice-she was almost shouting. "Stop getting involved, you know nothing of what is happening to me!" Furiously, she stood up, balling her hands into fists. "You of all people will never understand me, NEVER!" Screaming the last word, she gave Vincent the dirtiest look she could muster before flouncing out of the room.

Vincent watched after her, scowling. "Unreasonable _child_," he muttered, collapsing back into his chair, dwelling on what had just happened. _"I must have said something wrong. I almost shouted at her-maybe I scared her in some way..." _ Feeling thoroughly miserable, Vincent hauled himself to his feet and went out of the house, wanting to go to only one place...

~*~

Ten minutes later, Vincent sat in front of Lucrecia's crystal, legs drawn to his chest, arms wrapped round them. His head was bowed, his eyes closed. Simply being in the cavern soothed him immensely; the soft rush of the waterfall, the dancing arcs of light radiated by the crystal...and knowing that Lucrecia was there with him...he didn't need to speak to her, just her presence comforted him, and as he sat, he thought. _"Yuffie will hate me now. It feels so strange, when only the other day I was holding her close to me as if I never wanted to let her go... I truly am falling for her, but I shouldn't. I am too old, too dangerous. She would never want me, never. She is right; I will never understand her."_

Opening his saddened eyes, Vincent gazed up at the woman trapped in the crystal. "Lucrecia," he breathed. "Lucrecia, if only you were truly alive. Then you could advise me, tell me what is right..."

Vincent moved back a little so he could lean against the wall. Bowing his head again, he closed his eyes, drawing his knees closer to him, pondering what he was to do.

~*~

Yuffie flung herself on her bed, frustrated with herself and Vincent. Pummelling her pillow as if it were her worst enemy, she lay on her stomach, leaning on her elbows. _"I must have pissed him off," _she thought. _"I heard the front door go. He must be sick of me by now. And who is he to nag me about my weight? If I don't want to eat, that's my decision! Besides, I'm perfectly normal, what's there to worry about? Nothing! And now he's probably gone to his precious cave to talk to a dead woman in a shiny rock, who can't even hear him!" _Yuffie sank her head into her pillow wearily. _"Man, I'm tired..." _ She ran her hands over her frail body. _"Nope, I'm completely fine, no bones sticking out or anything...what was Vincent thinking? I'm not too skinny, like hell am I..."_

Yuffie lay on the bed in a kind of stupor, listening to the empty silence surrounding her. Hours passed, and still she lay there, thinking of nothing, doing nothing. Eventually, her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep, weary of nothing to do...

Yuffie woke with a start. Her room was pitch-black; it was very late. She hoisted herself off the bed, feeling her way to the door and opening it. Vincent would usually leave the landing light on at night-this time it was just as dark out there as it was in Yuffie's room. "What the hell?" Yuffie asked herself. She crossed the landing to Vincent's room, pressing her ear to the closed door, listening for his breathing. Nothing. Yuffie pulled the door open, but the room was empty. Cursing, she shut the door and headed downstairs. She looked in the living room, the piano room...Vincent wasn't in any of them. Now worried, Yuffie ran into the kitchen. He wasn't there either. She looked at the clock-it read 00:40. "Oh god, something's got him," she panicked. "Oh man, I feel terrible now for yelling at him earlier! Where is he?" Tears of fear began sliding down her face, but she ignored them as she ran to the door. Her hand was on the doorknob when she suddenly stopped. _"What am I doing? If I go out, I'll be killed for sure! But I'm so worried..." _Yuffie took her hand off the doorknob and sat on the sofa instead, tears pouring down her face. "Vincent, where are you?" she whispered. Feeling slightly dizzy, she lay down, slipping an arm under her head as the tears continued to flow from her grieving grey eyes.

~*~

Vincent's eyes snapped open. He looked around, shocked to find himself still inside Lucrecia's cavern. Groaning, he stretched his cramped arms and legs. "Did I fall asleep?" Vincent looked at his phone. "One o'clock?!" Vincent yelped, in a voice most unlike his own. Jumping up, he transformed and flew back to the manor as fast as he could.

Opening the door, he noticed Yuffie lay on the sofa. Her eyes were closed, but they opened when she heard the door. Sitting up, she beamed and ran to meet him. Just before she reached Vincent, she wobbled dangerously, staggering a little. Vincent gasped and caught her before she hit the floor. "Yuffie? Are you okay?"

Yuffie looked at him blearily. "Oh man, I'm dizzy..." was all she managed to say. Her head lolled sideways, her breathing ragged.

Vincent started to panic. "Yuffie, what's wrong?" He picked her up and returned her to the sofa. "Yuffie?"

"No, no...it's okay, I'm fine..." she muttered, holding her head. She lay down again, massaging her forehead weakly.

"You are not fine! I know what this is-it's because you haven't eaten! I told you-"

"I'm fine..."

"Yuffie, have you seen yourself?! You've lost too much weight, you're dizzy, you will die if you don't sort yourself out!" Vincent hadn't noticed physically how much weight she had lost, but the shadows had thrown her face into sharp relief, and he saw the damage. Her cheeks were hollow, the outline of her skull clearly visible. Gasping in alarm, he ran a hand across her hip, ignoring her half-hearted protests.

"Cut it..."

"Yuffie..." Shaking his head in disbelief, Vincent felt her hips jutting out alarmingly; she felt like bones, nothing more. "I fear you are anorexic, Yuffie," Vincent said shakily. "You need to start eating, or you will die!" Yuffie didn't respond, simply turned her head slightly, closing her eyes. "Yuffie? I am serious, listen to me." Vincent leaned over her, putting a hand to her face. She didn't respond to his touch either. "YUFFIE?" Vincent raised his voice, shaking her. No response. Panicking, Vincent fumbled in his pocket for his phone. "What have you done to yourself, Yuffie?" he moaned exasperatedly. Retrieving his phone, and flipping up the top screen, he dialled the only number he knew could help him right now...

"...Hello?" A weary female voice answered.

"Shera, is that you?"

"Yes...Vincent, is it?"

"It is me, yes...I apologise for the hour at which I am calling, but I urgently need to speak to Cid, if he is around."

"Cid? At this time? Well, you sound desperate...I'll wake him..."

Vincent waited a few minutes. Then another voice spoke grumpily.

"Vince, have you seen the &%$ing time?! What's so important you have to wake me at 1 o' &%$ing clock?!"

"I knew you would be like this...I need you to bring your airship over here. Yuffie appears to have fainted or collapsed and I need to get her to a hospital, fast. Please Cid, I never thought I would have to beg, but I am doing now!" Vincent's voice wobbled slightly. He bit his lip, embarrassed.

"Hey, well why didn't you &%$ing say so? Annoying as the kid is, I ain't letting her die, no way! I'll have the Shera saddled up and ready to go before you know it!" Cid chuckled. "No cryin' on me, k? You'll have me collapse too, from &%$ing shock, eh? Ok, I'll shut up, I'm on my way!"

"...Thank you, Cid," Vincent murmured, ending the call. Dropping his phone back in his pocket, he lifted Yuffie's unconscious figure carefully and took her outside, thinking. Deciding a better place to wait was outside Nibelheim, he carried her out of town, listening for the rumble of the airship's engine.

Five minutes later, a deep roar made Vincent look up. The Shera was hovering overhead, descending to the ground. Vincent could see Cid through the large front windows of the airship, and as he watched, he saw him pull a lever to bring the ship entrance door down.

With a sharp gust, the Shera landed. Buffeted slightly by the wind, Vincent took Yuffie aboard and into the cockpit. Cid stood there, cigarette, as always, in his mouth, looking rather tired. He shook his head when he saw Yuffie's emaciated body. " &%$, she's skinny! I'm' a flyin' you guys straight to a hospital, pronto!" Puffing on his cigarette, Cid pulled a lever and swung the steering wheel. With another roar, the Shera took flight southwards. "Taking you down to Mideel, yeah?" Cid shouted over the engine. "They rebuilt the hospital recently, an' business is boomin'!" Vincent said nothing, simply held Yuffie closer. _"Well, at least she's not airsick..." _Vincent thought. Yuffie groaned quietly, but did not wake. Vincent stroked her hair, head bowed, eyes closed, lost in thought.

"Hey, so what's Yuffie doin' at yours anyway?" Cid asked, blowing smoke rings absent-mindedly.

Vincent opened his eyes. "She fled Wutai for personal reasons, and fainted outside the manor from exhaustion. She has been living with me for over a week."

"Ah, gotcha." Cid said nothing more until they arrived at Mideel twenty minutes later. In this time, Yuffie still had not woken.

"We're at Mideel, Vince! Come on, don' &%$ing stand there, get her out before she dies!"

Hoisting Yuffie a little higher, Vincent carried her out after Cid. Staring around Mideel, he took in how different it was. Last time he saw it, it was destroyed by Lifestream. Now the whole town had been rebuilt. It was larger than before, and a lot more grand; perhaps the story of its destruction 4 years ago had brought a lot of money to the town. Vincent followed Cid to the hospital, a largish timber building on the outskirts of town. The door was already open, so Cid and Vincent went through. Though it was twenty five past one in the morning, the hall was rife with bustling people. Vincent recognised one of the people-the short, bushy-moustached doctor that had helped Cloud recover from Mako Poisoning. He was deep in conversation with a nurse holding a clipboard and pen, but when the doctor saw Yuffie lying limp in Vincent's arms, he started and made a beeline for Vincent. "I say, Mr. Valentine, whatever is the matter with this young lady?" he asked, observing her critically.

"She fainted around half an hour ago. She has not eaten for over two weeks, as far as I know."

"I see, I see. Perhaps you and Mr. Highwind would follow me?" The bushy-moustached doctor set off briskly down the hall, followed closely by the two men.

The doctor stopped eventually and peered inside one of the hospital rooms. "Yes, she can go in here. Mr. Valentine, put the young lady on the bed while I fetch a few others to assist me. I will make a note of your arrival." He bustled off.

Vincent lay Yuffie on the bed, sinking into a chair beside her.

Cid leaned against the doorframe. "Are you stayin' here then, Vince?" Vincent nodded. "If it's not too much trouble, I'll be headin' back to Rocket Town then." Putting a fresh cigarette in his mouth, he added, "When she wakes up, tell her I said hi, 'k?" Cid left the room, leaving Vincent with Yuffie.

Vincent's hand reached out and took Yuffie's, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. "Please wake up, Yuffie," he whispered. With his metal hand, he softly brushed a few strands of hair from her face. Still, she did not appear to hear him, or feel his touch. She simply remained as still as she ever was.

Voices outside the room made him look up; two nurses, plus the bushy-moustached doctor entered. "We're going to take a look at young Miss Kisaragi now, Mr. Valentine," the doctor said gravely. "I'm sorry to say you will need to step outside for a while. I daresay the examination will be no longer than thirty minutes; you can come and see her again afterwards." Vincent nodded, and stood up to leave. As he passed one of the nurses, she gave him an encouraging smile. "We'll take care of her, sir. Don't worry!"

"Thank you," he replied, letting a tiny smile tug at his lips. He looked back at Yuffie still lying lifeless on the bed, before exiting in a swish of scarlet.

~*~

Time seemed to stand still as Vincent waited outside the hospital, looking up at the night sky, counting the stars in a vain attempt to take his mind off Yuffie. _"This is all my fault," _he thought bitterly, looking at his phone to check the time. _"I should have noticed earlier that she was ill... why did I not keep a closer watch over her?" _Stifling a yawn, he sat down with his back against the wall, legs drawn up to his chest. Looking at the time again, he stowed his phone away and tilted his head back, letting his eyes close._"Worry has caused time to cease operation, or so it feels. I wish none of this would have happened...I feel I am to blame for all of this..."_ Vincent leaned his head forward so it was touching his knees, eyes still closed. The cold night air blew gently, whirling his tangled locks round his head, ruffling his cloak, whispering in the tree branches. It seemed an eternity that Vincent sat there, waiting silently.

A hand touched his shoulder gently. "Mr. Valentine?" came a tentative female voice. Vincent looked up, to see a young blonde nurse, who was watching him with some apprehension. "Dr. Bizet would like to see you," she said, beckoning nervously. She walked back into the hospital, Vincent close behind. _"This can only mean bad news. She is dying, I know it..."_

Indeed, when they reached the room Yuffie lay, Dr. Bizet, the bushy-moustached doctor, looked to Vincent rather gravely. Vincent chanced a glance at Yuffie to see what had been done to her. A narrow tube ran through her nose, and she had several monitors attached to her chest, plus a drip inserted into her arm. Vincent shuddered at the forlorn sight, before turning back to Dr. Bizet. "What news?" he requested, sitting back beside Yuffie.

"Ah, don't look so stricken, Mr. Valentine. Miss Kisaragi will be perfectly fine with some close care." Fiddling with his moustache, he continued. "As you can see, Miss Kisaragi is suffering from a case of Anorexia Nervosa. However, you have noticed the signs early, so I am sure there will be no lasting damage to her system. She will be here for quite a while, as unfortunately, her body has gone into shutdown, thus triggering a temporary coma-" Vincent's pale face drained of the little colour it had-"but there is no cause for immediate concern. Note the tube in her nose-"he indicated-"she will be fed via that. Within a week you will see a change in her appearance, a change for the good." Finishing his speech, he waited for Vincent to speak. When no reply came, he simply said, "Well, I trust you will be staying here with her? I will leave you now. Should you need sleep, the chair you are sat on folds out."

"Thank you, though I do not feel I can sleep just now."

"Well, make sure you rest up sometime. Is there anything else you need?"

"No."

"Very well. Should there be concern, come and find me or another doctor." Dr. Bizet gave Vincent a brief nod, and left the room.

It was now around two in the morning, and though Vincent was tired, he had no desire to sleep at all. He took Yuffie's hand again, stroking her short black hair with his other hand. "Why must you sleep on, Yuffie?" he asked the unconscious girl. "Why must you remain unaware of your surroundings, not knowing anything? My only wish is that you come to soon..." Vincent bowed his head, feelings tears prick his eyes. He brushed them away, willing himself with the willpower he had left not to cry.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9-Realisation

* * *

Yuffie had remained in Mideel Hospital for a week now, and still she showed no sign of waking. Not wanting to leave her, Vincent had barely moved from her bedside all week. He had found that talking to her was a way of clearing his troubled mind; though she could not hear him, it comforted him to have someone to talk to. He slept only occasionally, the gentle beep of the monitors still attached to Yuffie helping him sleep, the reassuring fact that she still lived sending him off.

Morning seemed to have come early-though it was only 7 o'clock, it was as bright outside as if it was midday. Vincent was already awake, watching Yuffie as she slept on. _"Will she ever wake? I must speak to her properly, I must tell her..." _ Sighing heavily, Vincent gazed out of the window at early morning Mideel. Not many people were up and about yet, and those who were had a hangdog, tired look about them. Finding nothing interesting to look at outside, Vincent returned his gaze to Yuffie. Standing up, he wandered to her bed, stroking her cheek with his thumb. Her cheeks had filled out a lot more during her stay in hospital, and she looked healthier than she did a week ago. Vincent pulled her blanket down a little, running his hand along her stomach and hips. _"It feels strange to do this, but at least I know if she is okay. Her body has gained more weight, she feels like she has recovered the lost fat...but if only she would wake, I could see her beautiful eyes again, hear her childish laugh, hold her close..." _Vincent drifted off into deep thought. _"I still do not believe how much I have changed since she arrived at Nibelheim. Somehow, I have learned that even I possess emotion, me, the so called 'vampire'. I have learned to laugh, smile, and somehow, I have recovered the ability to love..." _He returned to stroking Yuffie's face, still thinking. _"I love her...I do not know why, but she has cast some sort of spell on me. To love again is a big step for me, to forget Lucrecia and move on...though Lucrecia will always have a place in my heart somewhere..."_

Vincent's eyes travelled over Yuffie's still face, taking in her beauty. _"Her eyes, her hair, her lips, her body...it is little wonder that I have fallen in love with her, yet it still feels strange, as if I should not." _Twisting his hair confusedly with his metal hand, Vincent thought back to when Cloud, Nanaki and Tifa had visited. He thought about when they had left, how Yuffie had nestled close to him, her arms wrapped round him in a tender embrace. _"Thanks, Vince. Thanks for everything. They were her exact words to me. She was so happy then. But now...her life seems to have turned upside down. And with it, mine."_

~*~

A slight groan brought Vincent sharply back to his senses. He stared at Yuffie, puzzled. _"Was that her?" _ Vincent started as Yuffie groaned again, squeezing her tightly closed eyes further still, her head moving slightly. "Yuffie?" Vincent whispered tentatively. He clutched her hand as if he never wanted to be parted from her, watching her intensely.

Slowly, as if waking from a dream, Yuffie's eyes fluttered open, roving round the small room. She turned her head to the side, spotting Vincent sat beside her. Alarmed, she made to sit up, but she found a strong hand gently pushing her back onto the bed. "Do not strain yourself, Yuffie," Vincent murmured.

"Vincent, I-what am I do-"

"You collapsed around a week ago. I had to bring you here, I had no choice."

"Vincent..." Yuffie breathed. She sat up again, her arms winding round Vincent's waist, resting her head on his chest. This time, he did not stop her sitting up, and his own arms pulled her to him, stroking her hair. You would have thought they had not seen each other in years, such was the tenderness of their embrace.

Yuffie pulled away abruptly when she felt something damp run through her hair. Perplexed, she gazed in shock at Vincent, who had lowered his head, eyes closed, tears leaking from beneath his eyelids. "Vince? Are you _crying_?"

Vincent hurriedly dried his eyes, shaking his head, though he kept his gaze firmly fixed on the floor. His voice trembling slightly, he said, "I have just been so worried, Yuffie. Forgive me, I do not usually show such emotion." Another tear fell down his face, but he ignored it as he choked back a sob.

"Oh, Vince..." Yuffie hugged him again, wiping the tear track away. "No need to cry, I'm fine now. I think..." She looked down at herself, then let out a cry of surprise. "Whoa, look at me! I'm sure I wasn't that fat the last time I saw me! And what's with all these monitors and things? And a tube in my nose? By Leviathan, I look hideous!"

Vincent chuckled, tears still sparkling on his eyelashes. "Yuffie, if anything, you are far from hideous. If you could see your face now, you would see how much you have changed." He brushed a hand through her hair, moving a few wayward strands, smiling beneath his cloak. "You are beautiful..."

Yuffie was in the process of feeling her cheeks when she heard the words; _"You are beautiful..." _ She stared at Vincent, confused. "Seriously, are you Vincent? If you are, what the hell has happened to you?!"

Chuckling again, Vincent looked at the ninja watching him with an expectant expression. Speaking quietly, he said, "A lot has happened to me, Yuffie. Ever since..." He trailed off, embarrassed.

"The kiss?" Yuffie enquired, hand over her mouth. _"Now we're getting somewhere!"_

"Yes, the kiss. Ever since then, I have had a burning feeling deep inside me, yearning to burst free. At first, I did not know what it was, but in recent days, I have realised. It was love..."

Yuffie decided it was best to stay silent. Her head was spinning from all this. _"Vincent loves me?! Weird..."_

Vincent continued," There have been other things too. For instance, whenever we have..." he probed his mind for the right word, "...hugged, the feeling inside me grew stronger. It made my very body ache, not being able to have you as my own, knowing it would never be so. But the way your arms encircled me, holding me tight, it felt...real. I could imagine that you were mine, I was yours...yet there was always this voice at the back of my head telling me constantly- "This is wrong. Abandon your attempts, Vincent, for she will never be yours."

"Last week, when we argued after I pressed you about your weight, the only happiness I had left drained from me. I was upset, frustrated that I had angered you- that is why I sought refuge in Lucrecia's cave, hoping to calm myself down. Unfortunately, I fell asleep, and when I returned to the manor at 1 o'clock, you collapsed from hunger and stress. The fact that I was 'missing' probably added to your worries, I suppose. I contacted Cid-who says "Hi", by the way-who flew us to Mideel. That is where we are now. You have been comatose since you have been here, and the tube in your nose has been giving you the food you need so much. You look a dozen times much better than you did a few weeks ago, I can assure you."

Vincent finished talking, while Yuffie ran her hands over herself, smiling. "Oh wow, I do look better! And I feel great! What was I thinking, starving myself like a complete idiot?"

"Yuffie, do not blame yourself. Though I lost my temper at you because of this, it was purely down to stress which made you lose your appetite. Though I want you to start eating again once you are allowed out of here, understand?" He looked at Yuffie seriously, drumming his fingers on his gauntlet, sinister clinks echoing throughout the small room.

"Oh yeah, course...Vince, did you mean what you said? You love me?"

"...I meant every word I said. I do not lie."

"Well," Yuffie pulled Vincent's hand away from his gauntlet and slipped her hand into it, grinning. "I don't know why you're saying all this "Yuffie will never want me" crap, 'cos quite frankly, you're talking bullshit."

"Wha-you mean?!"

"Yes, I do..." Yuffie breathed, leaning forwards, tilting her head to kiss him...

"Ah, Miss Kisaragi, you're awake!"

~*~

"Damn," Yuffie muttered, going red. However, Dr. Bizet did not appear to have seen anything, so she and Vincent were saved their embarrassment. Dr. Bizet bustled in, beaming broadly. "Glad to see you're up and running again!" he said. "I must say, you do look a great deal healthier than you did before." His voice suddenly turned more serious. "Do you think you will be able to eat normally again?"

Yuffie nodded vigorously, her silky, yet slightly tangled hair bobbing up and down. "Yeah, of course I will. I wouldn't want to worry anyone else."

"Good thinking, my girl. Well then, I think it is appropriate to remove your feeding tube and your monitors. I see no reason for you to need them anymore." As if on cue, Vincent stepped outside, leaving Dr. Bizet to do his work. As he had previously done, he went outside to wait. He had barely stepped outside when he felt his phone vibrating. Fishing it out of his pocket, he flipped it up and held it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Yo, Vincent, it's Cid."

"Hello, Cid."

"Crikey, you and your monotone &%$ing voice! I wanted to know how the brat is."

"If by 'brat' you mean Yuffie, then she is awake. They are removing her monitors and I am waiting outside until they are done. It will probably take about an hour."

"Cool. Hey, she's not all thin like she was before, is she?"

"Glad to say, no. She is perfectly fine, and she promises to start eating properly again."

"Good, good. Girls and their &%$ing weird minds, eh? I'm gonna go, the Shera needs servicin'. See ya round, yeah?"

"See you..." Vincent put the phone down, dropping it back in his pocket. He leaned against the timber wall of the hospital, fiddling with his unkempt hair. _"I wonder when Yuffie is allowed out of hospital?" _he wondered. Having nothing else to do, Vincent picked up a handful of gravel and started flicking it. Around an hour later, realising he could probably see Yuffie again, Vincent threw the rest of the gravel into a puddle and set off back to Yuffie's room. She was sat up on her bed, monitors and tube gone, though her nose looked rather sore. "Does it hurt?" Vincent asked, sitting on the edge of the bed beside her.

Yuffie grimaced. "Yeah, a bit...they're bloody torturers when it comes to getting rid of that tube." She rubbed her nose, wincing. She noticed Vincent was watching her avidly. "What?"

"Nothing." Vincent looked away quickly. "It's nothing..." He felt Yuffie take his hand, and he looked back at her.

"Sorry about earlier," she said. "You know, when I tried to..."

"Perfectly understandable." Vincent was looking at her with an almost hungry look in his red eyes. "If anything, maybe I wanted-" Vincent's words were cut off as Yuffie put a finger to his lips, saying, "Shhh." She leaned forwards, her other hand coming to rest on Vincent's waist as her lips met his.

~*~

Vincent froze in shock. _"I cannot believe this is actually happening!" _Instinctively, he did the only thing he could think of-his eyes slid shut as he returned the kiss, his gloved hand sliding up her neck to her face, his fingers gently grazing her cheek. He moved his metal hand to rest in the small of her back, tilting his head sideways to have a better angle.

Yuffie let her eyes open a fraction, chancing a look at Vincent. His eyes were closed in utter bliss, his mouth working in time with hers. _"So peaceful..." _Yuffie closed her eyes again, moving closer to Vincent as she continued to kiss him. Feeling her move, Vincent readjusted his arms so they were wrapped round her waist, holding her close.

It seemed like an eternity...but finally they broke apart, both slightly out of breath. "Wow..." Yuffie gasped, running a hand over her lips. "I didn't know you were so good at kissing..."

"Yeah, I was just thinking that myself," came a laughing male voice as the door opened. Cloud strode into the room, followed closely by Tifa. Both Yuffie and Vincent flushed a deep crimson, staring into their laps. "Oh come on guys, what the hell are you embarrassed about?" Cloud laughed. "Well, okay, we've pretty much just walked in on you guys sucking face, but-"

"Cloud!" Tifa warned threateningly. She crossed the room to Yuffie, giving her a one armed hug. "You look so much better now, Yufs! How are you feeling?"

"Er..yeah, good, I guess..." Yuffie murmured, still staring determinedly at anywhere but Cloud, who had perched himself on the end of the bed, grinning manically.

"Oh, ignore him, he seems to think that two people kissing is hilarious...but you guys looked so cute together!" Cloud made vomit noises from beside her. "Cloud, I swear I'm going to punch you right where it hurts in a minute!"

"What are you two doing down here?" Vincent said, plucking up the courage to speak, as Cloud was silenced with a threatening move of Tifa's iron-hard fist.

"Oh, I've got a scan soon, and Cid phoned us a few days ago to tell us what had happened to Yuffie. I gotta tell you, I cried for hours, I was that worried. But Cid gave us a ride here for the scan, and we thought we'd see if we could find you. We were told which room you were in, and Cloud just started laughing like a toddler when he saw you two..."

"_Yuffie Kisaragi? Oh yes, room seven, just down this corridor."_

"_Thanks," said Tifa. "Come on Cloud, I want to see Yuffie!" She set off down the corridor, leaving Cloud to run to catch up._

"_Room three, four, five, six, seven...ah, here we are." Cloud peered inside the small window. Immediately, his face creased up as he started to laugh hysterically. "What?" Tifa demanded impatiently._

"_They...they're..." Cloud clutched his ribs as he fought for breath._

"_Oh, for God's sake," Tifa muttered, pushing past him, looking through. A smile brightened her face as she saw what Cloud thought was so funny-Yuffie and Vincent, holding each other ,mouths moving together in a passionate kiss. "Oh, how sweet!" she said. Rounding on Cloud, she said stormily, "And what's so funny about that?"_

"_Its...come on Tif, it's the two people you would never expect to be together. Yuffie, and VINCENT VALENTINE of all people! It's just weird!"_

"_Sometimes you really are a child," Tifa sighed, looking back through the window where Yuffie and Vincent had just broke apart._

"_Wow...I didn't think you were so good at kissing..."_

_Choosing his moment, Cloud opened the door and said, "Yeah, I was just thinking that myself..."_

"...And that just goes to show that men are just immature bastards half the time," Tifa finished.

"I am NOT an immature bastard!" Cloud said reproachfully.

"_Sigh..._anyway, do you know when you're allowed to go, Yufs?"

"Oh man, I dunno. Hope it's soon, though, I get tired of just having to stay in one position for ages."

"Yeah, I can understand that..." Tifa consulted her watch. "Well, my scan's happening any minute now, so I'm gonna have to skedaddle now." She ruffled Yuffie's hair. "Glad to see you're well again. We'll see you soon."

"Yeah, see you two around..." Cloud heaved himself up, raising his hand in farewell as he left after Tifa.

Vincent appeared to have been holding his breath until then; he exhaled heavily, blowing his tangled fringe upwards. "That was rather embarrassing..."

Yuffie giggled, running her hands through her own hair in an attempt to straighten it. "Yeah, for once I gotta agree with you." She rubbed her still aching nose. "Leviathan, this hurts," she groaned.

"It will pass, "Vincent commented simply. He stared at the doorway Tifa and Cloud had just left through. "Do you think they will tell anyone?"

"About what?"

"You know...us."

"Maybe." Yuffie shuffled a little closer to him, laying her head on his chest contentedly. "But frankly, I don't give a damn. Let them think what they want."

"Yes...you are right." Vincent slipped an arm round Yuffie's shoulders, pulling her closer a little. "Somehow, I do not care either. It feels rather strange, but-" he kissed the top of Yuffie's head-"as long as I have you, I feel I can cope."

Sighing happily, Yuffie snaked an arm round Vincent's waist, the other round the small of his back. "Just wait till I'm out of here. Just think..." She said the last part with a seductive side to her voice, looking up at him.

Vincent gently pulled Yuffie to his level, pulling her into another passionate kiss. "I am already getting ideas..." he breathed, running his hands through her hair as he pulled away.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10-Home Sweet Home

* * *

Yuffie was discharged from Mideel Hospital two days after she woke; due to the fact that she had stood by her word and had started eating again- had she not, she may have stayed for weeks. She had rapidly returned to her normal weight, as she seemed to have forgotten about Godo, and was happily accepting food whenever it was offered to her.

It was three o'clock in the afternoon, and Yuffie was preparing to leave hospital with a gleeful atmosphere surrounding her. Smiling, she looked out of the window, watching the Shera descend just outside town; Cid had strangely offered to take her back to Nibelheim, as he seemed to be in a good mood.

Vincent stood behind her, holding her lovingly to him, his gloved hand making lazy patterns round her stomach. "Looking forward to going home?" he said, planting soft kisses down her neck while she tilted her head back, sighing happily.

"Yeah..." she replied, raising a hand behind her to cup Vincent's cheek. "And to think, after all the tears, the arguments, the stupid starvation, things have taken a turn for the better." She spun round so she was facing Vincent, his arms still around her waist. Sliding her own arms round his neck, hands playing with his hair, she whispered, "See how happy we are now, Vince." She lay her head against his chest, feeling the steady thump of his heartbeat. "We're happy...'cos we have each other now...that's not going to change."

"Well, I hope that will not change," Vincent replied in a husky voice, bringing his arms higher so they wrapped round her shoulders. Tenderly, he kissed her forehead, murmuring softly," We should go. Cid will only rant at us if we hold him up."

"Just a few more minutes?" Yuffie whined, pulling Vincent closer, twirling his hair round her fingers.

Vincent let a low purr escape his throat as he pushed her gently backwards, so her back was touching the windowsill. "Just a few then," he said, his lips coming down to meet hers as his metal hand rested on her waist, gloved hand tangling in her hair.

Leaning her head back, Yuffie felt Vincent's tongue sweeping across her lips, practically begging for access. _"Hmmm...he hasn't done this before..." _ A small smile graced her lips as her mouth opened, allowing Vincent to push his tongue further, battling with hers fiercely. _"This isn't all he wants," _Yuffie thought, and it was obvious; his kisses were becoming faster, his breathing more irregular. Leaning into her, his grip on her hair tightened, metal hand sliding up the back of her shirt.

Yelping in surprise, Yuffie pulled away quickly, doubling up in pain when her back smashed against the windowsill. Vincent knelt down, rubbing her back apologetically. "I am sorry, Yuffie," he said, straightening up.

"No, no, it's okay..." Yuffie stood, cursing. "You just caught me by surprise." She waggled her finger in a metronome-like way, tutting. " You want to tear my clothes off, fine, but not here!"

"Okay, I get you. But we're going, now." Vincent planted one last kiss on her lips, before taking her hand. "Come on," he said simply.#

~*~

"&%$! You took long enough!" Cid scolded as he watched the pair enter the airship separately; they had decided it would be more appropriate for Cid not to know about their relationship, so they had let go of each other's hands. "Shit! Hurry up in future!" He pulled a cigarette from the box behind his ear, fumbling in his pocket for a lighter.

"Sorry...had some, er, 'business', to take care of, and Cid, do you really think swearing and smoking in front of your little girl is appropriate?" For Cid's three year old daughter Terra had started to giggle when her father had used his everyday foul mouth.

"Ah, she's used to it," Cid said nonchalantly, lighting his cigarette and inhaling. Blowing out the smoke, he added, "But that don't make me a bad parent! Believe it or not, I tend to restrict my language to when Terra's out of the room!" He noted the astonished looks on Yuffie and Vincent's faces. "I know, I know..." he waved his hand impatiently. "Cid Highwind isn't shooting off his loud &%$ing-sorry-mouth for once!"

"Daddy!" Terra jumped up and down frantically. "Daddy, please fly!"

"Keep your hair on Terra, I'm' a goin'! Pulling a lever with a grunt, and spinning the wheel, the Shera took flight into the sky.

"Oh man..."Yuffie groaned-she hated flying, it still made her airsick. She clutched her stomach, her face turning a sickly green as she bent her head. Vincent put a hand on her shoulder to steady her, luckily Cid was busy operating the airship and did not notice. However, Terra came bumbling over to them. She was quite a pretty little girl, with light brown hair cut into a chin-length bob, and she had crystalline brown eyes that frowned in concern at Yuffie. "Is she very well?" she said to Vincent.

"She dislikes flying to some extent...it usually makes her sick."

"I get sick too, It's horrible. But I don't anymore, Daddy gave me a tablet before we got on." She pulled a small box out of her skirt pocket, which she handed to Vincent. "Give her one, she will be better very very soon!" Terra went back to Cid and began chatting amiably with him.

Vincent knelt in front of Yuffie, who was still holding her stomach. "Don't do that, Vince, I might chuck up on you or something," she groaned.

Vincent looked in the box Terra had given him, and dislodged a small, pale blue tablet from its packet. "Here," he said, holding it out to her. "Provided you can swallow tablets..."

"Oh no, I can..."she gasped, taking it from him and putting it in her mouth, swallowing.

"Lucky you, I never have been able to," Vincent remarked, straightening up and taking his original place beside her. "Terra said that will make you better quite quickly. I suppose you were concentrating so much on holding your food down that you didn't hear her."

"Hmmm." Yuffie agreed, leaning against Vincent with a quick look at Cid first; however, he had put Terra on his hip, for she was quite a small child, and was showing her how to operate some of the controls. Yuffie rested her head on Vincent's shoulder, snuggling up to him, slipping an arm round his waist. "You know, I think it's starting to work already," she said in amazement. "I don't feel so sick or dizzy...I'll have to remember where I can get those tablets..."

Vincent chuckled dryly, kissing the top of her head. He looked out of the enormous windows at the front of the Shera, seeing Junon whizz past. "We will be at Nibelheim in about fifteen minutes," he said. "Nearly home..."

"Ooooh, are you getting ideas, then, Vince?" Yuffie smirked up at him.

"Yes, I am..."he replied, running a finger down her cheek. "However, due to the fact that we have only been together two days, those ideas are not going to be used just yet."

"Damn."

"?! Well, that can always change," Vincent purred, kissing her neck and ear, nibbling on her lobe, gloved hand sliding up and down her side.

"Vince, we're not alone you know!" Yuffie pulled away, giggling.

"I know. I can wait until we get back, I just want to...'get you in the mood,' if you know what I mean." Vincent continued kissing her neck.

"You guys okay back there?" Cid called. "Yuffie not retching everywhere?"

"I'm fine, Cid." Yuffie had to fight to keep her voice normal, as Vincent's hand were roaming all over her, his kisses trailing down to her collarbone. His plan to arouse her was working-she could feel herself becoming slightly moist. "Oh man, don't Vince," she moaned, grabbing his hair.

"As you wish." Vincent stopped kissing her and removed his hand from her side, thrusting it into his pocket along with his metal hand.

Terra leapt down from her father's hip and went back to Yuffie. "Is she better?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Yuffie smiled. "Thanks for the tablet."

"It's okay. I am glad you are better." She turned her head so she could see out of the windows. "Oh wow, what was that big spike in the sand?" she gasped. Vincent swept his gaze to where Terra was looking-he knew what she meant. "That-"he said, "is the Gold Saucer. It is quite big, I guess."

"It's so tall! What's it for?"

"It's so cool!" Yuffie piped up. "Like, you can play games, chocobo race, they've got this creepy hotel, and they got this rollercoaster and you go on it and shoot stuff."

"Well hey, I got Cloud's Gold Ticket on loan, maybe I'll take you sometime, Terra," Cid said from the steering wheel, lighting another cigarette, stubbing the previous one in an ashtray beside him.

"You will? That's so cool!" Terra scrutinised her father, frowning. "Daddy, smoking is bad, Mummy said so!"

"Yeah, yeah, Mummy thinks everything is f-ing bad." Cid dropped his lighter back in his pocket. "Be at Nibelheim in five minutes, yeah?"

"Home sweet home..."Yuffie sighed, leaning against Vincent again; Terra having gone to stare avidly out of the window. Vincent did not say anything; rather, he just closed his red eyes, thinking. _"I feel so lucky,_" he thought. _"I never thought I would win her over, yet I have...she is mine, I am hers...and I love her so much..." _

~*~

"Hey! Stop dreamin'! We're here!" Cid's ringing voice brought Vincent to his senses. "Come on, unless you want to take up permanent residence on the &%$ing airship!"

"Keep your hair on..." Vincent muttered, exiting the airship to the cool Nibelheim air. He turned to Cid. "Thank you Cid. You have helped me a lot recently."

"Ah, don't sweat it," Cid replied, waving his hand. "It was nothin'. A friend is a friend, after all." He turned to get back on board. "See ya round, Vince!" he said, Terra waving from beside him.

"Goodbye."

"Bye!" Yuffie said, waving to both of them. She turned to Vincent. "Come on, let's get inside, I'm chilly."

Vincent smirked, knowing what she was thinking. He followed her up the path to the Manor, opening the door for her as it was still a little heavy for her to open by herself.

Yuffie sped into the main hall, whooping with delight. "HOME!" she cried joyfully, dancing around.

Vincent shut the door behind him, his eyes following the movement of her hips, a hungry feeling rising in him. Biting his lip, he forced himself to remain where he was; yet he was so tempted to just tear her clothes off and take her there and then...

Yuffie sauntered up to him, placing her hands on his waist. "What's the matter, Vince?" she said huskily, lowering one of her hands to brush against his manhood through his clothing. Suddenly, Vincent couldn't take it-he pulled Yuffie roughly to him, his tongue dancing inside her mouth, his hands tugging at her clothes.

Shaking her head, Yuffie pulled away, smirking. "Not here," she whispered. Nibbling on his earlobe, she said, "Your room or mine?"

"_Oh my god, she really wants to..." _ Without speaking, Vincent swept Yuffie off her feet and into his arms, proceeding to carry her up the stairs to his room. Kicking the door open, he entered, still holding Yuffie, elbowing the door closed behind him. He lay Yuffie on the bed, hovering over her, nipping at her neck. "You have no idea how much I want you right now..."he growled, hands wandering over her chest, pulling at her shirt desperately.

Giggling like a child, Yuffie grabbed Vincent's shoulders and sat him up, straddling his hips. "I know how much you want me, believe me I know..." Her lips met his in a fiery kiss as Vincent tugged her shirt from her, throwing it aside along with his own, pushing Yuffie back onto the bed. He broke the kiss, gazing down at Yuffie hungrily, a hand coming up to caress her face. "My princess..." he breathed, his deep crimson eyes locking onto Yuffie's bright grey ones as he pulled her closer, channelling all his love for her into their most passionate kiss yet...

~*~

One hour was enough to show each other how much they loved each other. Exhausted, Yuffie moved her head to rest on Vincent's chest. "Damn, I'm tired..."

"What else did you expect?" Vincent teased, playing with her sweat-soaked hair with the hand round her shoulders. The other arm he placed on her waist, pulling her close to kiss her.

"Yuffie..." Vincent hesitated as he pulled away.

"What?"

"I...I love you."

Yuffie smiled widely. Snuggling a little closer to him, she murmured, "I love you too..." She pulled the sheet from below her, covering herself and Vincent before closing her eyes.

Vincent kissed her forehead tenderly as she drifted off to sleep, her head still on his chest. Stroking her hair, Vincent felt his own eyes sliding closed.

And for the rest of the day, and all night, Yuffie Kisaragi and Vincent Valentine slept soundly in each other's arms...


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11-Godo and Siyo

_Siyo makes his first appearance in this chapter, and I just want to let you know that Siyo is my own character so no swiping, you big meanies with plans to nick my people!

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_

Late morning sunlight permeated the thin curtains of Vincent's room, illuminating the sleeping couple lying cuddled up in the bed. One particularly bright ray of sunshine fell across Vincent's face, making his eyes flicker open, only to have them squeezed shut as the brightness blinded him.

Vincent waited till the brightness had subsided before he opened his eyes again. He turned to look at the still sleeping Yuffie beside him. With a stab of memory he remembered what had happened the previous day. Smiling to himself, he kissed Yuffie's slightly flushed cheek. She shifted and turned over in her sleep, sighing heavily. Reaching over the side of the bed, Vincent retrieved his boxers and trousers, pulling them on first before climbing out of bed to pick up the rest of his clothing.

Carrying his cloak under his arm as he went downstairs, Vincent had just finished buttoning his shirt when he noticed two people outside, none of them native-but one of them he recognised. "Godo," Vincent growled, fastening his scarlet cloak and pulling open the door to confront him.

Standing just near the large well, and hearing the creak of the old mansion doors, Godo turned, seeing Vincent approaching him. "Ah, Valentine, just the man I was hoping to see!" he said loudly. Vincent reached him and shook his outstretched hand. "Please, Godo, just Vincent will do," he said, letting go of his hand. He frowned at the other man with Godo; a man a little shorter than himself, with medium-length dark brown hair, spiked at the ends, the rest of his hair laced with midnight blue streaks. He could not have been more than twenty-one, and as Vincent's eyes met his deep brown ones, he realised who he was.

Godo looked from one to the other. "Ah yes, may I introduce you? Vincent, this is Gorki's son, Siyo." Vincent nodded curtly at him. "What brings you two here?" he asked politely.

Godo's eyes narrowed. "My daughter, Vincent. I must find her at once."

"I was under the impression you said you had no daughter," Vincent said, with an air of coolness surrounding his words, then resolving to slap himself the next time he was alone. _"I should not have said that!"_

"She has told you, has she? So she IS with you! I thought so, where else could she have been?" Godo gave Vincent a rather dirty look; this did not achieve the required effect as Vincent was around a foot taller than him. "I want to see her-now."

Siyo spoke for the first time. "My Lord, this is not necessary-if she did not wish to-"

"Silence, Siyo. Well, Vincent?"

"She happens to be asleep right now. I will wake her, but I want you to swear you will not harm her any more than you already have."

"I-"

"Godo, I mean it."

"I-I swear." Godo had known Vincent from his childhood, Vincent being half-Wutainese, though Vincent was a year older than him. He had always listened to him even then.

"It is settled then." Vincent beckoned, and the pair followed him back to the manor. Once in the hall, he stopped them. "Wait here, please. I will rouse Yuffie," he said, heading up the stairs.

Yuffie was still asleep in his room. Vincent sat beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Yuffie..." he whispered. "Yuffie..."

Slowly, Yuffie opened her eyes. She turned, smiling, to Vincent, holding her covers to her chest. "Heya," she said, leaning forward, kissing his lips briefly.

"Morning. Yuffie, I am afraid you are going to be very angry with me for what I have done..."

"You mean-"

"No, not yesterday. I know you would not be angry at me for that. No, this is much more serious." He picked up her clothes from the floor and passed them to her. "Get dressed and come downstairs, Yuffie."

"Er...okay..." Confused, Yuffie pulled her clothes on and stood up, stretching. She followed Vincent downstairs, stopping abruptly when she saw her father in the hall. She clapped a hand to her mouth in shock, her eyes wide. "Dad?! What the HELL are you doing here?!" She rounded on Vincent. "You damn right I'm mad at you!"

"Yuffie...please...just hear what he has to say...I don't know what that may be, though..."

Giving Vincent a reproachful look, she descended the remainder of the stairs and looked squarely at her father. "Found me at last, have you?" she said, folding her arms. "I'm surprised you decided to get off your own ass for once; am I really that important?"

"Yuffie, listen-"

"I wanna sit down at least before I hear whatever rubbish you have to say." She sat in the chair in the corner, scowling as she watched Godo seat himself on the sofa, Siyo waiting respectfully for Godo before sitting himself.

~*~

Vincent surveyed the tense scene before him. "This conversation is for your ears only; I will leave." He made for the door, but Godo held up an aged hand to stop him. "No, Vincent, you may stay. I gather you had a hand in this anyway."

"Then do not let me interrupt." Vincent swept back, sitting on the lower stairs.

"Of course, of course..." Godo turned sternly to Yuffie. "You caused quite a disturbance by your disappearing act, Yuffie. Naturally, knowing you best, I had expected nothing else, but how you hid yourself so well, I was clueless, I will admit. I was all for falling for your exceptional ninja skills yet again, as I have so many times. And here I find you cowering inside a derelict old manor, no use of your skill at all. I am almost ashamed of you, Yuffie-"

"So you should be!" Yuffie snapped. "I refuse to success you, refuse to marry this-" she gesticulated to Siyo "-_guy, _and I disappear on you! And why have I done all this? Because I believe I deserve better! Are you forgetting I saved the world when I was just sixteen?! Well, I did, _lest your crumbling old brain forgets! _After everything I have done for the world, you drag me back to Wutai, not listening to me whatsoever! Do I not have a say in anything? I am a princess, a princess who has fought with some of the best warriors on this planet, a princess _whose best friend was murdered in cold blood! _ And I helped kill the murderer! For what? _Nothing!"_

"A year ago, I was part of the WRO, and still am. It's still based at Wutai, you know. I helped track down the necessary information on Weiss, I helped with the Omega reports, I helped with just about everything that was to be done there! In a fashion, I helped save the world again, but still I get no acknowledgement for it! I'm sick of you stuffing your fingers in your ears, not heeding a thing! I don't _wanna _be known as the leader of Wutai! I wanna be known as who I am-a fighter, a ninja, a hero!" Yuffie glared at Godo, who had remained thoughtfully silent. She continued, "The only reason I 'cower' in here is the fact that I would apparently be killed if one of your goons found me. I value my life, as much as I don't act it, you know! Vince has taken real good care of me the whole time, even stayed at my side when I was hospitalised!"

"H-Hospitalised?!" Godo spluttered. "By Leviathan, what have you done to yourself this time?"

"You had a hand in it too, Dad. I was stressed, scared someone was gonna kill me, besides other things. Those things preyed on my mind a lot; I didn't eat a thing the whole time I travelled, nor did I eat while I was here. I lost so much weight I collapsed, and Vincent took me to Mideel, where I stayed for another week. Had our relationship not been so rocky, Vince or the others might have told you, but knowing you, you would just strike me down while I was still comatose-yes, Dad, I was!" for Godo had yelped in shock. "My body just shut down. And Vincent was there the whole time for me. It shows _someone _cares! _Someone _understand all that is happening to me! He knows I don't wanna marry just yet, I'm way too young, and you know what? He totally understands why I don't want to. Vincent's from Wutai too, remember Dad, you grew up together. You both know the rules-if a woman has no wish to marry the man her father has found for her-she can make her own choice, though the man must be approved by her father. Had I got to know Siyo, maybe I would have married him, but the fact remains-I don't even know him!"

Breathing out heavily as if she had just talked all day, Yuffie fell silent. Godo twirled a finger in his greying beard for a moment. "I want my daughter to be happy," he said. "It is my fault Wutai is the way it is now; I had hoped, had you settled down with a good man and taken over the ruling, things would change for the better. If that will not happen, I shall have to make those changes myself."

"I am old, Yuffie, I cannot last much longer. When I die, where will Wutai turn to? She will be in eternal turmoil unless somebody steps in-"

"Why can't Gorki do it? Or Staniv, or Chekhov?"

"You know that the guardians of the Pagoda cannot do that job. I say nothing ill of your father, Siyo," Godo said, laying a hand on the young man's shoulder.

"No offence taken, My Lord." Siyo lowered his head.

"Good, good...Yuffie," Godo turned back to his stony-faced daughter, "I see it was wrong to disown and banish you when it has made you suffer so. Even an old man has a heart, especially for a suffering child. Ever since I injured you, I have been plagued by regret, for I knew you would never return, and Wutai would descend into chaos eventually. I see your wounds have healed-" he indicated Yuffie's cheek, "I am glad; had I scarred you, my regret would have deepened further."

"Wutai is, and always will be, your home. If you wish to return, nobody will stop you. I am sure everyone will be happy to see you again." He sighed resignedly.

Yuffie's stony expression changed abruptly. She began to smile, her eyes sparkling like silver glitter. "Dad...you mean it?"

"Of course I do."

Yuffie stood up, and approached Godo, hands behind her back. "I will fulfil my duties as a princess. I will marry, by my choice, and when the time comes, I will rule." She grinned mischievously. "But things are gonna change with me in charge! Screw Shinra; if I want Materia in Wutai, then I'm having it! And I'm not staying holed up there forever, I want to be able to travel with my husband (when I find one). If Siyo here has no objection, I am happy for him to step in when I am absent."

Godo's face broke out into a true smile. "What say you, Siyo?"

Siyo rose, taking Yuffie's hand and kissing it. "An honourable offer, My Lady. I would be delighted to accept." He rubbed his smooth chin thoughtfully. "Also, I think it necessary to tell you that Father holds no grudge against your refusal to marry me. If anything, I should think him relieved-he said having you as a daughter in law would cost him his life!"

Both Siyo and Yuffie laughed. "You're a pretty cool guy, Siyo. Maybe I got the wrong impression of you-being raised by Corneo and all that."

"That abomination of a man has no place in my heart, I can assure you, Lady Kisaragi. I have always been impervious, yet furious, to his treatment of innocent women. In fact, I have never had any desire to marry-I also think myself too young."

"Whew...I'm relieved!" Yuffie turned to Vincent, who had not moved from his place on the stairs. "I haven't left you out, Vince, I hope?"

Vincent opened his eyes. "Not at all...I am glad you have reconciled with your father; it is not good to be fighting constantly."

"Awww, thanks." Yuffie crossed the room and kissed his forehead. Vincent's hand brushed her cheek gently as he felt her lips make contact with him. Moving her mouth to his ear, Yuffie whispered, "Should we tell him?"

"If you wish to."

Godo was watching the pair with an expression of mingled amusement and wonder. "Is there something I have missed?"

Siyo tilted his blue-streaked head slightly to the side. "I should think them rather close friends, My Lord, or closer."

"You thought right!" Yuffie said gleefully. "I've found the guy for me! If I'm gonna marry, I hope it's gonna be Vince!"

"W-what?!" Vincent sputtered. "You-?"

" You and Vincent, together?! I never thought I'd see the day..." Godo mopped his brow with his sleeve. "However, if you are happy together, then I am happy. To think...I am going to have my childhood friend as a son in law! And Vincent is older than me..."

"Older, My Lord?" Siyo asked, puzzled. "To me, Mr. Valentine looks no older than thirty."

Getting over his previous shock, Vincent laughed softly. "Thirty four years ago, I was a Turk. However, I protested against a scientist's experiment on humans, and my reward was a bullet to the chest, and this body. I was put to sleep for thirty years; Yuffie and her friends found me." He paused for a moment to allow Yuffie to sit beside him. He slid his gauntlet-covered hand round her waist before he continued. "Before that, I lived in Wutai. My mother is pure blood Wutainese, my father is native to Midgar. I became friends with Godo when I was around nine; we never paid much attention to each other before that." Vincent gazed at the ceiling reminiscently. "My age is fixed at twenty seven, that is when I was shot. My actual age would be...sixty one, a year older than Godo."

"By Leviathan, I am sorry..." Siyo dipped his head apologetically. "I hope I do not cause offence to you, Mr. Valentine, but does this mean you will remain twenty seven forever?"

"I do not take offence, Siyo. It is likely I will stay the same age, yes, but I am sure there is some sort of remedy. I do not want to have my friends, and those I love, die while I live beyond them. It is something you would rather not think about, yet it creeps up on you like ivy. It is unpleasant..."

He trailed off.

"I would imagine so..."

Godo pulled a watch from his inside pocket. "We should be going soon. I am pleased you have reconsidered, my child. That is, if you are still my child? You have matured, Yuffie, I cannot call you a child anymore." He stood up, brushing down his robe. "If you and Vincent wish to marry at some point in the future, then I will be behind you one hundred percent. I wish you luck."

"Thanks, Dad." She and Vincent crossed the room with Godo and Siyo. "I will visit again as soon as I can."

"I will be glad of it." Godo laid a hand on her shoulder. "My thoughts go with you."

"And I you." Hugging her father briefly, Yuffie turned to Siyo. "I'm hoping we can be good friends, Siyo."

Siyo bowed his head respectfully. "I daresay our friendship began a short while ago," he said, smiling. "I trust we will see both of you soon," he added, straightening up and shaking Vincent's hand.

Vincent nodded to him. "Goodbye," he said.

"Yes, yes...goodbye, Yuffie, Vincent..." Godo beckoned to Siyo, and the pair set off.

~*~

Yuffie watched after them with a bemused expression. Vincent stood beside her, slipping an arm round her shoulders. "Are you still angry at me for bringing him here?"

Yuffie snuggled closer to him, smiling contentedly. "No...if anything, I love you even more. You ensured me and Dad made up. And I can go back to Wutai!" She threw her arms round Vincent gleefully, laughing. Vincent, still keeping his arm round her shoulders, put his metal arm behind her knees, sweeping her off her feet, making her kick violently, laughing more.

"I knew everything would turn out fine in the end," he whispered, kissing her. He carried her to the sofa and sat down, sitting Yuffie on his lap.

"Hey, I'm not a dog, y'know?" Yuffie said, though she leant forward so her head was resting on his shoulder.

"I know...I want to be close to you..." His hand stroked her hair for a moment, thinking. "Is it true? You would marry me?"

"Of course I would...I want to be with you." Yuffie looked into Vincent's shining eyes. "I'll wait a while, though; it doesn't have to be now." She leaned forward, kissing him with renewed passion.

Vincent leant back into the sofa, his arms encircling Yuffie's small frame as he kissed her back. _"She must really love me," _he thought. _"Why else would she want to marry me of all people?" _He broke the kiss, stroking her flushed face. "I will give you time, my princess. When I believe the time is right, I will ask you."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12-True Love is Sealed

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In the year and a half that had passed since Godo and Yuffie had reconciled, things had begun to change. Within three months, Yuffie and Vincent had decided they would move back to Wutai, which is just what they did, continuing to live together peacefully. Just two days after they had settled down in Wutai, Yuffie found herself pregnant with her first child...

_Yuffie stared at the test she held in her shaking hand. "Pregnant?" she mouthed. "Pregnant?"_

_She heard a tap at the door. "Yuffie? Are you okay in there?" It was Vincent. Hastily, she dropped the test into her pocket and opened the bathroom door. "I'm fine, honest," she said._

_Vincent frowned. "You have been in there for half an hour. Are you ill? You have been throwing up these past few days. What have you caught?"_

"_Vince, let me get a bloody word in edgeways! I-er...I'm pregnant, if you must know..."_

"_W-what?! You cannot be serious?!"_

"_I am..." Yuffie extracted the test from her pocket and handed it to Vincent. He gaped wordlessly at the reading. _

"_Are you sure you want to have a child, Yuffie? I am afraid..."_

_Yuffie put her arms round Vincent's neck, a small smile on her face. "No child of mine will be a vampire, Vince!" she said optimistically. "You've got no need to worry-nothing will go wrong. And as for you, you'll be a great father..." _

"_..." Vincent was still unsure, though he chuckled at the vampire remark. He turned away, eyes closed._

_Yuffie looked at him, stricken. "You're not...you're not going to leave me over this, are you?"_

"_No! I would never do that!" Vincent turned to Yuffie again, wrapping his arms round Yuffie, pulling her to him. "I love you...I will not leave you." He gazed into her eyes, which were filling with tears. "I will not abandon you or my child. Rest assured, my love...I will be here, always..."_

Yuffie was right-nothing went wrong, and when their little girl was born, she was found to be perfectly healthy.

Their baby, who they named Yuni, was now six months old, and at the present moment in time was sat, babbling happily, on Tifa's knee, who had come to visit with Cloud and their ten month old son Klaus. Klaus was a tall baby for his age, and had inherited his father's bright blonde hair and blue eyes. He was already learning to walk, and kept tumbling backwards onto his bottom after failing to pull himself onto the sofa.

Tifa put her arm more securely around Yuni, and tickled her chubby stomach. "So, how have things been with you and Yuffie, then?" she asked Vincent. For once, Vincent had discarded his cloak, and had attempted to neaten his hair, which had been pulled back into a loose ponytail. He smirked a little. "I never thought I would be with her this long, Tifa. But I guess I got lucky..." Sighing, he picked Klaus up, who was having a tantrum because he still couldn't get up, and placed him on the sofa. "I trust you received the invitation Yuffie sent a while ago?"

Tifa nodded. "I'm looking forward to your wedding; I've never seen a Wutainese one before. You guys are so sweet together-I knew it was true love the minute I saw you kissing her in hospital, when she had collapsed..." Tifa trailed off, smiling.

"Yes, our first proper kiss...that had to be one of the happiest days of my life..."

"I still think it's pretty funny though," Cloud laughed from his position beside Vincent. "But you guys go well together, I can see it now."

"Wow, Cloud saw some sense!!" Tifa let Yuni slide off her lap, where she sat on the floor, making faces at her father.

Vincent stuck his tongue out at her before turning back to Tifa. "It feels strange, having a child of my own. I feel blessed... and to tell you the truth, Yuni is an easy baby to look after; all she wants, really, is her bottle, her dummy and her little blue bear." He indicated the bear Yuni had picked up, and was rubbing her face against it affectionately. "Plus, she is not infected by Chaos..."

"Well, Chaos left your body when Omega was destroyed, remember? It's not in you anymore," Cloud said, fishing in his pocket and handing a dummy to his grizzling son. He watched Yuni fondly. "She's really cute, isn't she?"

Yuni responded with a series of babbles muffled somewhat by the bear's arm in her mouth.

"Awww, how sweet," Tifa cooed. "Where's Yufs, anyway?"

"She and Siyo are at a meeting with Godo, supposedly about the wedding plans. Siyo has been a great help to us, I was wrong to ever doubt him."

"Is he the dishy guy with blue hair who I saw with Yuni earlier?" Tifa rolled her eyes at Cloud, who had pouted childishly when she said 'dishy'.

"That's him...he is a good babysitter, he dotes on Yuni ever so much. I do not complain, it gives me and Yuffie some time together..." a cheeky smile formed on Vincent's face.

Both Cloud and Tifa laughed. "You really have changed, Vincent," Cloud observed. "In more ways than one; I hear you have started to age again?"

"Yes, you are right." Vincent ran a hand across his brow, feeling the solitary wrinkle recently formed. "My previous years do not count; I am starting again from twenty seven, and I will admit, I am overjoyed. I was despairing that I would live while all of you died-now I have no worries."

"What do you think made you age again?" Cloud asked.

Vincent and Tifa exchanged glances, both smiling. "Love..." they said in unison.

~*~

One more month went by, and the day of Yuffie and Vincent's wedding dawned. The weather seemed to have been invited too; the sun wore its best shining outfit, brightening the pale blue sky devoid of cloud. Looking up at this sky, sat up on Da-Chao, Vincent counted his lucky stars that he had been found in the coffin all those years ago. _"Had I been told five years ago that I was to marry a ninja princess and have a baby girl, I probably would have shot whoever had told me in the head and told them not to be ridiculous. But it's reality...it's happening, and I couldn't be happier..." _Vincent tugged at his robe-the last time he had worn Wutainese dress was when he was a child, and he was not used to it now. Nevertheless, he liked it-it was patterned with red and black, his favourite colours, and it fit him well. He had tied his hair up again; overall, his appearance was quite pleasant.

"Ah, Mr. Valentine..." Vincent turned to see Siyo behind him. He looked the same as ever, though he had discarded his usual vest top and jeans, and had also donned a robe, patterned with blue and silver. Vincent looked up at him. "It suits you," he commented.

"Many thanks, Mr. Valentine. As does yours." A year had not changed Siyo's friendly, formal character in the slightest, thought he had replaced the blue streaks in his hair with red. "Lord Godo told me to inform you that we are ready to proceed with the wedding."

"Ah...I am ready also." Vincent stood, and followed Siyo down Da-Chao excitedly. "Are our friends here?" he asked the young man.

"Hmmm..." Siyo pulled a folded piece of parchment out of his pocket and looked at it. "These are the wedding guests. Your friends...Cloud, Tifa and Klaus, Nanaki, Barrett and Marlene, Cid, Shera and Terra, Reeve and his cat contraption-Cait Sith, is it? There are others you will know, I trust, but those I have just read are the only ones I know." He put the parchment back in his pocket.

With Vincent so eager, it didn't take long for them to get to the bottom of Da-Chao. A small surprise awaited him at the bottom-a young girl sat in one of the cherry blossom trees. As Vincent got nearer, she recognised him, and jumped down to greet him. "Vincent Valentine," she said, in a familiar voice. "It has been a long time."

"S-Shelke?" Vincent's eyes widened in surprise. No wonder he had not recognised her-her hair was longer and a little darker than it was previously, and she was wearing a dark purple dress instead of the grey bodysuit she usually wore.

Vincent smiled, putting a hand on her shoulder. "How have you been?" he asked.

Shelke Rui allowed a small smile to appear. "My life since the Tsviets has been rather uneventful-I have contented myself with assisting the WRO." She lowered her head slightly. "Our attempts to bring back my sister were fruitless-she has returned to the planet."

"I'm sorry." Vincent found himself remembering back to when he had known Shalua- she had a metal arm just like him, but it was her life-support system, not merely a gauntlet. He remembered how she had sacrificed herself to save Shelke, wedging her metal arm between the closing doors so Shelke could escape. The snapping sound of the metal echoed in Vincent's head horribly.

"I am sure she is happy now," he said. Changing the subject, he added, "I had no idea Yuffie had invited you-I thought you two did not get on?"

"Ah-she sent two invitations to the WRO headquarters for Reeve and myself. My invitation contained a small note from Yuffie; she wants us to cast aside our differences and become friends. I am all for trying."

"Yuffie has seen sense then." By now, Vincent and Siyo had set off again, with Shelke walking beside Vincent. Looking up at him, she said quietly, "I was surprised when I discovered you were to marry Yuffie Kisaragi. Never had I imagined such a couple. But from what I have gathered from Cloud and Reeve, you now have a child?"

"Yes...Yuni is half a year old now, Tifa has her. Tifa has adored her from the first time she saw her, and always takes her with her when she is here."

Shelke laughed softly. "Her son, Klaus, is rather cute as well, is he not?"

"He is a remarkable child. He has chocobo hair just like his father..." All three of them laughed.

The wedding was to take place outside the Pagoda, where Vincent, Siyo and Shelke had now arrived. Looking around and spotting Reeve, Shelke muttered, "I will leave you now. Good luck." She went off into the crowd.

Vincent himself looked at the crowd of people-all of Wutai had turned up to witness the wedding. He didn't think Wutai held so many, it wasn't a big town at all. He spotted his friends stood near a clump of trees, slightly away from the others. They were all there-Cloud holding Klaus, who was asleep with his head on Cloud's shoulder, and Tifa pushing Yuni backwards and forwards in her buggy, trying to stop her whining for her daddy.

Tifa bent her head towards Cloud. "Vincent looks pretty swish in that robe, eh?"

"He looks weird..." Cloud muttered, shifting Klaus a little so he could hold him tighter.

"I wonder what Yuffie will be wearing?" Shera wondered. "All these Wutainese kimonos are beautiful...I want one!"

"Me too, me too!" Terra burbled, holding her mother's hand excitedly.

"&%$ing hell Shera, I ain't made of money!" Cid said. "Get your own."

"Daddy, it's rude to swear!"

"Ah...sorry."

Vincent and Siyo reached the Pagoda, where Gorki, Shake, Chekhov and Staniv were stood. They were having a whispered conversation, but they broke off when the other two drew near.

Chekhov, the guardian of the 3rd storey of the Pagoda, approached Vincent, a warm smile on her face. "How are you feeling?" she asked, as Siyo stepped away from them to speak with his father.

"A little nervous, if truth be told, Chekhov." Vincent fiddled with a stray hair that had fallen from his ponytail.

"It will all run smoothly, I can assure you. Gorki, Shake, Staniv and I have been talking to Miss Yuffie, and we can assure you she is highly nervous too. Have no fear, though, after this you will be together forever! That's worth the gruelling ceremonies, isn't it?"

Vincent had to agree.

Chekhov laughed slightly. "Believe it or not, I have certain qualifications that allow me to be able to marry two people together, so I will be the one to do it for you and Miss Yuffie-or Mrs. Valentine, as she is soon to be." She looked over Vincent's head-the crowd was falling silent. "Ah, it must be beginning. Stand to this side of me, Vincent, that's right." Chekhov stood a little straighter, her hands folded in front of her, watching ahead of her.

Yuffie, accompanied by her father, had appeared and had begun to walk down the makeshift aisle. A flowing white furisode enclosed her small body, her long sleeves rippling. A single white flower had been positioned behind her ear, and overall she looked beautiful. She beamed at Vincent as she approached him, eyeing up his robe with a twinkle in her grey eyes.

Laying a hand on Yuffie's arm, Godo spoke to her in an undertone. Yuffie nodded, and Godo stepped back with an encouraging smile.

"Are Wutainese weddings any different from the usual ones?" Tifa whispered to Shera, who had travelled with Cid to Wutai on a few occasions.

"No, not really. There's still the ring, which I think is on the opposite hand, and the kiss at the end and stuff-but the speeches are just a little bit different, that's all. In fact, Wutainese people believe the time spent together afterwards is to be cherished more than the wedding; thus, the ceremony is quite short." Shera quietened as she heard Chekhov clear her throat.

Back at the Pagoda, Vincent extended his hand; wordlessly, Yuffie took it, and they both turned to face Chekhov.

"Are you both ready?" she said. Vincent and Yuffie nodded. "Then I shall begin." She cleared her throat.

"Citizens of Wutai, family, friends, honoured guests, today is a day to be cherished-for today we will witness the conjoining of Yuffie Kisaragi and Vincent Valentine. If anybody has any reason why this couple should not be married, please state your reason now." Silence met the middle-aged woman's words. "Very good," she said.

"Vincent Valentine, do you take Yuffie Kisaragi to be your wife, in sickness and in health, no matter any misfortune that befalls you, till death do you part?"

"...I do."

"Yuffie Kisaragi, do you take Vincent Valentine to be your husband, in sickness and in health, no matter any misfortune that befalls you, till death do you part?"

"I do!"

Chekhov gave a slight nod. "If there is anything you wish to say to your partner, please do so now."

Vincent spoke first, a little nervously. "Yuffie, "he began, "first of all I want to say how truly grateful I am that you discovered me in the Nibelheim basement all those years ago. I cannot think of how my life would have been had I not been found. I am even more glad that it was a strikingly beautiful young woman you found me, the woman before me now, who shrieked in fear and proclaimed that I was a vampire." Yuffie blushed, but she kept her gaze. Vincent continued, "My life since falling in love with you has been the best experience I could ask for. I would not wish to love anyone else other than you, Yuffie, and I never will. We are a true family now that we have been blessed with our own child, and once we are wed, the final hole in our love will be sealed. I promise to protect you from harm and danger, and should anything deadly arise, I will gladly give my life for you."

Yuffie smiled. "I had no idea you could give a speech so well..." she whispered, before speaking in a louder voice. "Well, finding you in that coffin was a surprise at first. But look where it turned out in the end! You and I, together, we have a daughter, a beautiful daughter, and very soon we will be bonded together for the rest of our days. Also, I gotta say I'm relieved that you're ageing again, 'cos if you stayed your same age and I grew old, how would that make me feel? But it's not going to happen, and for that I'm glad. The love we share will not disappear, ever. I can swear on mine and Yuni's life that I will never stop loving you, Vincent Valentine."

Chekhov watched with a little smile on her face. "It is settled- Master Siyo, the wedding rings, if you please?"

Siyo stepped forward, carrying two gold rings on a small red cushion. He stood before Yuffie and Vincent, who took the rings from the cushion, sliding them onto each other's right-hand middle fingers, as it is done in Wutai. _"At least this isn't an ordinary wedding-I can't wear a ring on my left hand," _Vincent thought.

Chekhov smiled. "May all your fortunes come true, and may you live in harmony for the rest of your days. Leviathan and the Gods rejoice for you. You may now kiss, and then will you be eternally bonded."

Vincent, still holding Yuffie's hand, moved closer to her. He gazed into Yuffie's glimmering eyes, smiling at her, before leaning down a little, kissing her lips softly.

The gigantic crowd broke into enthusiastic applause and cheering, with an appreciative wolf-whistle from Cloud. "Knew you had it in you, Vincent!" he said.

Tifa's eyes were sparkling with happy tears. "Look, they're so happy together," she whispered, watching Vincent pull Yuffie into a loving embrace, his arms tightly wrapped around her.

"&%$, the vampire has a wife? Wow, he's growing up!"

"Daddy, stop using those naughty words!"

"Sorry!"

Vincent pulled away from the tender embrace, hands on her shoulders, stroking them with his thumbs. "Can you believe we did it?"

Yuffie laughed. "No, I really can't!" She readjusted the flower behind her ear, smiling warmly. She looked back at Vincent. "I love you, Vince," she said, settling back into his arms, feeling tears of joy well up in her eyes.

"I love you too..."

* * *

_(Twisting hair uncomfortably and shuffling feet) Well, how was it? I'm kinda nervous, I've always been weird about people reading my stuff but hey, I should get over it. _

_Please rate and review, I'd love to hear what you thought! Peace out..._

_Refi _


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